


Circus of the dead

by nishiki



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Abusive Reginald Hargreeves, Adopted Sibling Relationship, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Teenagers, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, BAMF Klaus Hargreeves, Beating, Ben Hargreeves is Dead, Blow Jobs in a Car, Bottom Klaus Hargreeves, Canonical Character Death, Car Sex, Child Abuse, Childhood Trauma, Coming of Age, Developing Relationship, Domestic, Drama & Romance, Drug Abuse, Drug Addiction, Drug Withdrawal, Drugs, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Established Relationship, Fisherman Diego Hargreeves, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Ghost Ben Hargreeves, Ghost Dave (Umbrella Academy), Ghosts, Good Brother Ben Hargreeves, Good Brother Luther Hargreeves, Growing Up, Hurt Klaus Hargreeves, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Klaus Hargreeves Needs A Hug, Klaus Hargreeves Needs Help, Klaus accepting his powers, Klaus actually uses his powers for good, Klaus working with his powers, M/M, POV Diego Hargreeves, POV Klaus Hargreeves, Past Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Past Child Abuse, Past Drug Addiction, Physical Abuse, Protective Ben Hargreeves, Protective Diego Hargreeves, Protective Klaus Hargreeves, Protective Luther Hargreeves, Pseudo-Incest, Reginald Hargreeves' A+ Parenting, Road Trips, Romance, Romantic Fluff, Running Away, Running Away Together, Smut, Stuttering Diego Hargreeves, Teen Angst, Teen Romance, Teen Runaways, Teenagers, Underage Drug Use, beating an addiction, kliego - Freeform, living in a car, odd jobs, runaways - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-25
Updated: 2019-07-07
Packaged: 2020-01-31 19:12:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 94,272
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18597658
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nishiki/pseuds/nishiki
Summary: It seemed inevitable that Klaus would fall for Diego and a miracle in contrast that Diego fell for Klaus just the same. Beaten down and tormented by their father's totalitarian regime in the Hargreeves' house, the two teenagers were drawn to each other like moths to the flame, alight with the hope of finding love and comfort in each other. As this love is threatened to be stripped from them the same way as their autonomy and freedom, Diego and Klaus decide to risk everything and run away together. Running away from home, however, is not nearly as romantic as fiction would like you to believe.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Just fyi: I don't imagine Diego and Klaus as their child actors in this story since Dante and Blake were portraying them at the age of 13. Since they are 17 in this story, I pictured them like their older selves (just imagine young Rob and young David)

Klaus’ bedroom had always been one of his favorite places in the entire academy. It was a narrow room much like Diego’s own and his bed was, much like Diego’s own, shoved into the corner directly beneath the window. The window, conveniently enough, was leading straight to the fire escape, making it easy for Klaus to sneak out every night. They possessed much of the same furniture as their rooms were meant more as prison cells and not actual bedrooms. Klaus, however, had made sure early on to put every bit of his character on display in this room. Even as a child, he had found various ways of expressing his colorful character in the design of his room.

The walls were covered in posters and paintings and wherever they were not, drawings and scribbles that Klaus had done with sharpie filled up the naked spaces on the walls. Two years ago, right after Klaus had first started to write on his walls like a maniac, their father had forced Luther to paint over the proof of Klaus’ growing insanity only for Number Four to do it all again and again and again. No matter how often Reginald would force one of them to paint over Klaus’ walls, Klaus would just use the repainted walls as a fresh canvas to express his mania.

The room was small and crammed with stuff. His old guitar rested against the side of his desk and his desk itself was buried under a mountain of clothes and other crap. It was messy and crazy and Diego loved it. He loved the chaos and the wildness of it all. He even loved all those fairy lights which Klaus had hung up once with Luther’s help. Everyone in their family knew, after all, that Klaus had always been terrified of the dark.

Another wonderful thing about Klaus’ bedroom was that it was right next to Diego’s own bedroom and thus sneaking over had become a favorite past time of theirs.

Klaus lips were soft and welcoming under his own. His skin soft and his body oh so inviting how it molded around him and took him in as if it was made for that exact purpose. It was heaven. It was absolute bliss. His nails were digging half-moon marks into Diego's shoulder blades, marking him as his own forever even when those little crescent imprints would fade away. Klaus was leaving a much more prominent stamp on his soul now in the way his kisses burned as Diego rested between his perfect legs. He wanted to kiss his fingers and his hands and arms up to his shoulders. He wanted to kiss his toes and his feet and his ankles up to his cock.

There was no time, though. What they were doing had to happen in the dark and quickly too. It was forbidden and that only made their sin all the sweeter as orgasm his them like a freight train without much warning.

What they were doing no one could know and yet Diego knew that the blanket they were hiding under was not nearly enough sufficient protection from prying eyes. He knew that they were playing a dangerous game but that didn't stop him from drowning Klaus in kisses, broken only by their futile attempts of getting their breathing back under control.

Rolling off of Klaus, his body ached for the feeling of Klaus’ body around him and the grin on Klaus’ face, as he turned to face him in the half-light of his fairy lights above the window, told Diego that he felt exactly the same way.

»I love you.« Klaus whispered in the darkness and for once his pupils were not blown wide as he said it - not from the drugs in his system, at least.

He opened his mouth to repeat the words but before he could, the door was torn open. Hands grabbed him and pulled him out of Klaus’ bed and Diego knew that they had come too close to the fire and burned themselves on their own feverish teenage ignorance.

※※※※※※※

The fire in the marble fireplace at the long wall of the sitting room seemed always on, always filling the giant room with a soft warm glow and a welcoming crackling noise. Coming into the sitting room, was the epitome of coming home for all the Hargreeves children. It was the smell of the polished walnut wood and the oils that were used to keep the wood shiny and pristine. It was the heavy antique furniture all across the room, the soft sofas and armchairs. It was the gentle glow of the various lamps all across the room, the light filtering in through the giant windows that were leading into the garden. It was the smell of dust lingering in the air no matter how often Mom would dust the various little statues or candle holders.

The sitting room was the heart of the mansion, the warmest room in the entire building. It was their family room, the one place they all liked to hang out at together and just be a family. It was where Grace had once read stories to them, where Vanya would practice her violin, where Klaus would spend hours painting, where Allison would go through her scripts, where Luther would doze on the couch near one of the windows like a dog, where Ben would read until nightfall and where Diego would sit and just polish his knives or watch his siblings.

Beside him, Klaus was vibrating with tension and fear. Klaus had always been the most afraid of all of the siblings of their father. That was no secret either. As much as Klaus was afraid of the dark and of the ghosts only he could see, as much was he afraid of Sir Reginald.

Their siblings knew it and often preyed on it. Most importantly, their father knew how much fear he had instilled in Number Four over the course of the last seventeen years.

As they stood there in the middle of the sitting room, where the portrait of their lost brother was staring down on them in silent judgment, Diego tried not to think about the countless times he had witnessed how his father took Klaus out of the home at night only to bring him back in the wee hours of the morning or sometimes even days later. However, no matter how much time would have passed between him taking Klaus away and bringing him back, the return to the house would always be the same. His brother would always be covered in dirt and dust and cobwebs, paler than usual, with wild green eyes and in a state of utter shock or horror.

For the longest time since this had started at the age of eight, Diego had not dared to ask where their father was bringing Klaus or what he was doing to him there. A part of him had been afraid of the answers Klaus might give him. And Klaus … funny, vibrant, wild Klaus had been back to normal the next day, making jokes and being cheerful. It had taken Diego years to understand what was really going on.

As he stood here now only in his boxer shorts at Klaus’ side who was in an equal state of undress as he was, he just wanted to jump his father and scratch his eyes out. Their father wouldn't be much of an opponent either. However, his loyal Number One was standing right at his side and Luther wouldn't allow his father to get hurt by either one of his wayward brothers.

Luther was looking at them with utter disgust down his perfect nose as he stood there at their father’s right-hand side in his grey pajamas just like the rest of their siblings. The sitting room, the one place in this mansion where all the siblings liked to gather and hang out to just be together with the always crackling fire in the marble fireplace right underneath Five’s portrait, the walnut columns, and the heavy furniture, had lost all its warmth and all the comfort it had once emitted. And, by God, wasn't this whole situation just utterly humiliating?

That was the point, of course. This was meant to be humiliating. Their father had torn them from the bed, forced them to put on their underwear and dragged them down here while Pogo had called for their siblings to leave their beds and come downstairs as well. Mom, beloved Mom, hovered uselessly in the back near the archway leading to the staircase hall.

This, right here, was a very public display of their shame. He was outing his sons in front of their siblings, enticing them to be cruel to each other, kindling the age-old rivalry between each and every one of them and giving the other siblings something to attack them for. Their throats laid bare so to say. The only thing that their siblings needed to do now was to attack, to bury their fangs into their flash and rip out their throats.

Sir Reginald Hargreeves had never meant to raise them as siblings, after all. He had always meant to raise them as soldiers and make them into weapons.

Humiliation was not the only reason for this exercise in team building, of course. Diego was highly aware that their father preyed on Diego’s sense of pride. He wanted Diego to turn on Klaus in front of everyone. He wanted Diego to turn Klaus away from now on. He wanted to divide them, to crush them under his boot like the ants he saw them as.

Love between the siblings had never been encouraged by Sir Reginald. Not in a familiar sense of the word and especially not in the romantic sense either. They were, to him, only a group of kid soldiers and had never been supposed to form any sort of true bond. He called them siblings, brothers and sisters, but that wasn’t what the old man truly meant when referring to them like this. It had taken Diego all his life to understand this and never had it been clearer than at this moment as he looked at his siblings who were standing at his father’s side in their grey pajamas with blank expressions, schooled to appear unbothered by years of their father’s psychological torment.

Klaus had lost all his flamboyance, all his wit, all his mischievous and chaotic energy. Suddenly, Klaus was far too quiet and sullen beside Diego. He just stood there, staring at the ground to his feet, his shoulders hunched in embarrassment as if he had already accepted defeat. Klaus … the one person in this family who had never had a sense of shame was truly and unequivocally ashamed.

In his seventeen-year-old brain, the first thing he thought was that Klaus was ashamed of him and of being outed in front of their siblings like this. Not outed in the sense that he was gay because that had always been pretty clear to all of them in a way and, at the latest, as soon as he had started swooning over boys with Allison. No, maybe he was ashamed to have been outed for sleeping with Diego. Not because they were brothers but because he was Diego. And how could Diego Hargreeves ever have hoped to score someone as gorgeous as Klaus?

Diego would be naive, however, if he would think that being humiliated like this would be their punishment. He knew that his father was a cruel bastard and he liked to go after the weakest link and that was, sadly, Klaus for the most part when taking Vanya out of the equation. And even mousy little Vanya was much more able to stand her ground than Klaus was for the most part because she had resigned herself to a life of mediocrity and unimportance a long time ago.

»This kind of behavior is unacceptable, Number Two!« Reginald finally addressed him, as he was carefully cleaning his monocle with the handkerchief in the breast pocket of his dressing gown. His father looked odd without it, so Diego was glad as he put it back where it belonged.

Diego had never heard his father scream or yell at them. He had never heard him raise his voice and he didn't need to anyway. His father had always had this way of instilling the fear of God in his children even when keeping his voice low and calm as he did now. In fact, his words cut even deeper this way. Diego wished he would be yelling at them.

»I expected better of you than to fool around with your own brother!«

Shame, hot searing shame, was creeping into his cheeks and painting them red. He could feel that quite vividly. The truth was that Diego had only ever wanted to please his father. For the longest time, he had wanted to be Number One but he had learned early on that he would never be able to compete for his father’s pride with Luther or even Allison. Those two were his favorites followed shortly by Five and even Ben. Klaus and he had always been his least favorite children - possibly even after Vanya - and he had made this blatantly clear. Vanya, despite her uselessness, when it came to powers, was at least diligent and submissive. Klaus and Diego were neither one of those things for the most part. Still, Diego had wanted to please, had wanted to make him proud and never succeeded. His words now cut deep like knives, aiming to draw blood.

»I didn't expect much else from Number Four but you … I thought you were stronger than to give into temptation, Number Two! You are the biggest disappointment of my life. Don't you have anything to say for yourself?«

He avoided looking at his siblings who all stood there in their pajamas unwavering - even Vanya. Ben was the only one looking at the ground instead of them. Poor Benny had always been too good for this family. They didn't deserve him. Diego felt lost as he stood there and stared at his father, afraid to break eye contact while he just wanted to grab Klaus and run away.

»I-I’m s-sorry, S-Sir.« He finally managed to stammer out and he knew that this was not what his father wanted to hear at all. This wasn't done with a simple ‘I’m sorry’. He wanted to punish and humiliate. He wanted to destroy what they had and Diego was bracing himself for whatever he would throw their way now.

»I’m sorry doesn't cut it, Number Two.« Reginald thundered. »What you two did together was an abomination. It was wrong and disgusting.«

»Yes, Father.« He heard himself whisper.

»What was that?«

»You are right, Father.« Diego replied a little louder this time and clenched his shaking hands into fists. »It was disgusting and it won't happen again, Father.«

»I am, quite frankly, repulsed just by looking at you two. And your siblings certainly do feel the same way.« He didn't wait for the agreeing murmur. It was like a punch in the guts. They all acted as if they would not have seen the sidelong glances that Luther and Allison were throwing at each other since they were thirteen!

»However, I am not a monster and I am not unreasonable. I will give you two one last chance. You will seize this madness right now or otherwise you leave me no other chance but to throw one of you out and since we all know that Number Four over here is useless ever  since he decided it would be a good idea to waste the gift he has been granted in taking drugs and drinking alcohol, I believe the choice of who I would ask to leave this house is pretty clear.«

He was a monster. He truly was.

Diego felt his heart shatter as he stood there and forced his face into an unwavering mask. He couldn't show weakness now. Klaus would suffer only more if he would show any kind of weakness towards his father.

»I understand.« He replied as calmly as he could. »It won’t happen again, Father. I don't know what possessed me to do this in the first place.«

»Good. I am glad I could at least made one of you see sense.« Diego allowed himself to relax for just a second before Reginald nodded at Pogo. The ape seemed hesitant but finally stepped forward and offered his master a thin bamboo stick that was usually stored in their father’s office. He wanted to shout as realization struck him but he couldn't get out any sound. »I am saddened to say, however, that your brother seems deaf to reason. Number Four has always been rebellious.«

None of their siblings jumped in to help, none of them reacted. Even Diego could only stare in horror as their father grabbed Klaus by the arm and directed him over to the sofa where he pushed him against the backrest and barely gave him time to brace himself.

»Don't think I would find joy in punishing you in such a barbaric way, Boy.« Reginald said as he forced Klaus against the backrest until Klaus grabbed onto the edge. He not once lifted his gaze and allowed their father to manhandle him in position as if he had already resigned himself to his fate. Well, what other choice did he have anyway? »However, it seems that you leave me no other choice since words do not seem to have any effect on you.«

As their father delivered the first blow to Klaus’ back, Diego flinched at the spot he was rooted to. He wanted to jump his father and rip him apart limb by limb but one look at Luther told him that Luther would not hesitate to beat the crap out of him if he would even do so much as move. As Diego clenched his fists, there were fingers curling around his wrist from behind him. Ben. He didn't need to glance over his shoulder to know that it was Ben who was trying to hold him back. The sick old bastard aimed for Klaus’ naked back to leave bloody bruises on his flawless skin.

»Count them out for me, Child.« Sir Reginald demanded with this booming voice of his as the rest of his children stood perfectly still behind him, forced to watch how their weakest brother got punished in such a gruesome way. Reginald was a man who liked to uphold a certain image to the public world. To outsiders, he was a man above any kind of violence.

The Hargreeves children, however, knew better than to believe that. Most of them had found themselves at the receiving end of a good beating once or twice before. However, whenever their father had inflicted violence upon them, he had always been controlled about it, always acted as if it was just as unpleasant for him as it was for them. However, when it came to Klaus, he seemed always tempted and now he was unleashing his anger at the boy.

Perhaps it was his frustration that Klaus was so resistant when it came to his training, his unwillingness to cooperate and learn to control them. Maybe it was because Klaus had turned to drugs and alcohol instead or because Reginald knew as well as his other children that Klaus would slip out at night to go partying. Diego wasn’t naive about it. He knew that he was not Klaus’ first lover either. Maybe it was the frustration that Klaus was now corrupting Diego as well. Diego, who had become a little too rebellious in his father’s mind as of late.

»Two.« Klaus bit out as the next hit came and crossed the first angry red line his father had created on his back. This was meant to scar him. It was not just a punishment that should scare him and teach him. Diego realized with a faltering heart that these hits with the stick were truly meant to injure Klaus and to mark his back in a way that would teach his other children not to disobey him.

»Three.« Klaus didn't sob or scream. In a way, he was much stronger than his other siblings. He had always had a high tolerance for pain and yet Reginald was dead set on making Klaus cry and scream tonight.

As Diego watched with trembling fists, knowing that looking away would only further Klaus’ punishment, he felt the worst he had ever felt in his entire life. He should be there for Klaus, protect him and just run away with him. Instead, he just stood there, watching, too afraid of their father. And he knew that the sound of the stick hitting skin and Klaus’ counting out each blow would haunt his nightmares from now for the rest of his life.

※※※※※※※

Klaus could hardly move when Diego saw him next. Reginald had taken him away for special training again right after he had delivered Klaus’ punishment and none of the siblings had seen him since. That was three days ago and since then the atmosphere among the siblings had been beyond awkward during that time. Diego felt small among the others. He felt defeated and weak and dirty in a way.

His father's humiliation tactic had worked perfectly as his siblings wouldn't even look at Diego for the most part and when they did they did so with questions in their eyes and perhaps even with disgust. No one would ask anything or say anything but the elephant was still in the room. Diego and Klaus had had sex and they all knew it and wondered what was wrong with them for doing such a thing.

Luther was, predictably, the hardest to get along with after that night. He wouldn't outright comment on Diego’s behavior but everything he would say to Diego had this undertone of judgment and utter disgust in it. Hypocrite.

Why was it okay that Luther and Allison were so obviously head over heels for each other but it was not okay that Diego and Klaus shared a similar love and attraction? Was it really so simple as to say it was because they were both guys? It couldn't be this simple, could it? To Diego, this just didn't make any sense and he refused to even try and wrap his brain around it. He loved Klaus and there was nothing wrong about it. Nothing.

Yet, he had stood by and watched him get punished.

He could take Luther. They had never gotten along, they had always fought with each other on some level. Ben, however, was very different. Ben, who was usually quiet and somber, who was the kindest one of them and who everyone loved dearly, would sometimes look at Diego with great disappointment etched in his face. Maybe Ben had hoped that Diego would grab Klaus and run that night. Ben had always been close to Klaus and though Ben would usually not speak up against his siblings much, he had always been fiercely protective of Klaus and his antics.

As Klaus had appeared at the breakfast table on that morning in his uniform as if nothing had happened, Diego had realized quickly that his brother avoided looking at him. He couldn't blame him. He had let him down, after all. He hadn't been there when Klaus had needed him the most and perhaps it was better if they acted like the other one wouldn't even exist. That didn't mean that it didn't hurt that Klaus was ignoring him throughout the rest of the day.

All throughout their group training on that first day, he tried to make eye-contact with Klaus and couldn't help but feel stupid about it. It was too obvious how lost he felt and Luther was cruel in using Diego’s inattention to his advantage. Klaus, however, didn't bat a lash when Diego lost his sparring match against their Number One and got thrown to the ground by Luther, his back slamming into the mats covering the floor. Though they were all pretty much the same height with the one exception being Vanya, and although Luther’s power was his super strength, Diego was usually the better fighter. He was quick on his feet like a dancer, he got moves Luther could only dream of and so he rarely lost against Luther when it came to hand to hand combat.

Yet, as he lay on his back with a soft moan coming over his lips at the defeat, the rest of their siblings continued their training without a care in the world.

»Pathetic.« Luther hummed as he looked down on Diego. He had managed to give Diego a bloody nose and that was truly something that had never happened before. Instead of helping Diego back to his feet, as would be the polite thing to do, Luther instead grabbed his towel and his water bottle and walked out of the gym. It was Ben who walked over to Diego and gave him a helping hand.

At first, as he looked at his brother from his spot on the ground, Diego wanted to slap Ben’s hand away. Ever since that god-awful night, his siblings had avoided touching him like the plague as if they would be scared to catch the gay. Not that it would have bothered them until that night when it came to Klaus. Perhaps it was just because Klaus had always been the queer one in every aspect of the word. Klaus had always been unapologetically himself and that was something Diego had always envied him for.

With a small huff, Diego, at last, accepted Ben’s hand as the other boy was already contemplating pulling it back. Ben’s smiles were rare these days but he got one for Diego now as he helped him to his feet.

Just then, there was a howl from the other side of the room and as Diego whipped his head around, he found Klaus on the ground, curled in on himself in pain and Allison seemingly shocked by his explosive reaction to whatever she had done to him. Diego didn't waste any time as he rushed over to the pair and fell to his knees beside Klaus.

Number Four was gasping for breath as if someone had punched all the air out of his lungs. »Klaus!« Diego called out as he reached for his brother and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. Klaus, however, flinched away from his touch as if burned before, in a rare flair of anger, he slapped Diego’s hands away and quickly got back to his feet despite the obvious pain on his face.

Seeing the anger Klaus had in his eyes as he stared down on Diego was like being stabbed right through the heart. Then again, if Diego had thought to see this fury in Klaus’ eyes directed towards him would be bad enough, the next thing that came out of Klaus’ mouth pulled the rug right out from under him for certain. »Stay away from me, Two.« Klaus snarled in this very un-Klaus kind of way.

Diego was stunned into silence by his brother’s heated reaction, so much in fact, that he was unable to scramble to his feet to stop him as Klaus waltzed out of the gym. Shame was burning through him again as he became increasingly aware of the way Allison and even Ben stared at him. It was as if he was standing naked in front of his siblings. They could clearly see how hard this was hitting him and so, Diego did the only thing he knew how to do properly. He schooled his face into an angry frown instead of a hurt one, got to his feet and just left the gym.

※※※※※※※

Ben’s death had come as a surprise to everyone. Maybe that was a bit of an understatement. Of course, none of them had expected it to happen. It was no secret that their work as a team of superheroes came with its fair share of dangers but none of them had ever seriously gotten hurt while doing their job. A few broken bones here or there, the occasional bloody nose or cut.

Maybe it had been naive of them to never realize the possibility of one of them dying. They were all together in the living room studying as their father had demanded of them while he was out with Ben and Luther on some mission. Two weeks had gone by since the night of the punishment and ever since Diego couldn't come within three feet of Klaus without anyone looking at him as if he was Hitler incarnate. Not to mention that their father didn't seem to have any trust in Diego whatsoever since then. He excluded him from missions and rather took Allison or Ben along to accompany Luther.

It was another form of humiliation in front of his siblings and Diego was not naive about that in the slightest. On this day, however, as they sat in the living room with their head buried in their books, Klaus suddenly shot up from his seat on the sofa. Usually, Diego would have sat beside him, trying to be close to Klaus without being too obvious about it. Klaus’ face was ashen at first. He stared at a spot at the wall across from him as if he saw something none of them could see. His mouth hung open for just a moment, his eyes large and wild.

»Ben?« The word was more of a gasp as it left his mouth. If he noticed that everyone was staring at him, he didn't show it. Instead, just a moment later, Klaus dropped his book and ran towards the archway leading into the front hall, a silent, desperate plea on his lips. »No! No, no, no, no, no!«

And just like this, the remaining three siblings in the room knew that Ben was dead. It was just as simple. As Klaus ran outside of the house into the storming rain to where his father had just arrived back at the house with Luther - without Ben - screaming at the top of his lungs, they knew Ben was dead.

With Ben’s death, everything changed. The house had lost the remaining bit of light it had held until that day. Their days seemed incredibly more bleak, the sky outside had steadily the color of steal. It was raining on the day their father had Ben’s statue delivered. Black marble on a granite pedestal with just his name and some obscure inscription. _Ben Hargreeves. May the darkness within you find peace in the light._

And just like that, they had lost another sibling. At least for this one, they had a grave and a place to mourn, a body that could rot in the ground. It was maybe a relief to Reginald who hated to never have all the answers to a question and who seemed to have been driven mad by the disappearance of Number Five all those years ago. To the rest of the siblings, however, having a place to mourn their lost brother, didn't change anything.

Klaus outright refused to go into the courtyard from that day onwards. He had attended the funeral only because of the threats that their father had directed towards him. It was no surprise that Klaus had been hit by Ben’s death the hardest. He wouldn't talk about what he had seen that day of Ben’s death in the living room. In fact, he would not talk at all to them anymore and Diego couldn't shake the feeling that he had lost more than just one brother on that day. Klaus might as well have followed Ben into the ground.

His brother had always been a whole lot more sensitive than the rest of them and not in a bad way either. Klaus was empathetic to the feelings of other people - especially his siblings. In this sense, he was superior to all of them. He had always felt this incessant need to be close to them in some form. He had a certain kind of warmth to him whenever he would enter a room. Now, the entire house was cold as an ice block. It was his powers at work, Diego assumed. Whenever they wouldn't need to train or study together, Klaus would be holed up in his room doing god-knows-what and at night he would sneak out.

Diego, though hurt by the revelation, did not harbor any illusions to the fact that Klaus was not only seeking out drugs when he would leave but that he would be seeking out male company as well. He would take anything to numb the pain he was in and that included sex. Every night when he would hear his brother sneak out of his window, Diego turned around in his bed, one of his knives clutched tightly in his hand fighting the urge to run after him.

Their relationship was over. He had known this the moment Klaus had come back from his punishment. That didn't mean though that it wouldn't hurt. It did. It was ripping his heart out. And he knew that it was stupid and that he should focus on himself instead now. He should just forget about it, pretend as if it had never happened and move on with his life. Instead, he would not sleep until he would hear Klaus sneak back into the house every night, scared to death that one night he would not return to the house.

The world outside of the academy was scary and dangerous and no place for someone like Klaus and yet his brother, his beautiful, bold brother, was thriving in the darkest shadows of the night and there was nothing Diego could do about it. There was no way to protect Klaus from his own poisonous desires. Still, Diego loved him and that was the hardest thing about it. He loved, loved, loved him and he had lost him and it hurt like hell.

This night, as he lay in his bed staring at the ceiling and listening to how the house was turning over in its sleep, he thought about what he should do now. He knew that he couldn't stay at the house for any more time. His father's cruel humiliations got worse day by day and the way Klaus would flinch away from him was killing him.

Luther would never understand what Diego was going through and maybe it would be unfair to ask him to as well. A part of him wondered if things would be easier if his siblings understood and would feel compassion or at least pity but since they didn't, every day was like walking on eggshells. He couldn't take it any longer. The only thing holding him upright was Mom’s soft smile when he would seek her out during the day.

There was sudden commotion on the hallway. Footsteps rushing down the hall and then the door to their shared bathroom being burst open. _Klaus_ , he thought. Klaus never closed the bathroom door. Klaus never closed his bedroom door. He hated being confined in closed-off spaces. He couldn't take the feeling of not being able to get out if he wanted to. For the longest time, Diego just laid in his bed, unsure of what to do. What if Klaus needed his help though? Should he really ignore him like this?

Then again … Klaus had been ignoring him for weeks now, right?

With a groan, Diego sat up in his bed and put the knife he had been toying with on his bedside table. He just sat there, though, waiting and listening. He didn't hear Klaus return to his bedroom for minutes and so, as he started to get restless, Diego got to his feet and left the room as silently as a cat. The light from the bathroom was flooding into the hallway and now that he was out of the room, he could hear the sound of retching quite clearly.

He found Klaus curled up on the tiles of the bathroom floor covered in cold sweat and the smell of vomit lingering in the air. He was naked except for his boxer shorts for some reason. Then again, Klaus preferred to sleep with as little clothes as possible. Panic gripped Diego’s heart tightly as he took in the position his brother was in right now. What if he had taken too much of whatever it was he was poisoning himself with?

»Fuck, Klaus!« He muttered as he fell to his knees beside him and put a hand on his forehead. He was burning up quite badly and for just a moment Diego hoped that it wasn't the drugs at all, that Klaus was merely sick and could be helped by Mom. For once, Klaus didn't flinch from him but instead leaned in further.

It was the first time that he saw Klaus in any state of undress since that god-awful night. His back was still littered in the cuts their father had inflicted on him. They would probably leave scars. The idea filled him with dread but more importantly with red hot flaring anger towards their father. Reginald Hargreeves had outdone himself this time. It was not rare that he would beat them into submission either with words or with his cane while the outside world was oblivious to the plight of the miracle children of the Umbrella Academy but at the very least he had always been rather careful not to leave marks on them. As if it would make the abuse any less true if there were no marks left behind on them.

»Klaus … Hey, Klaus, what's wrong?« Diego muttered as quietly as he could as to not wake the others as he noticed how unfocused Klaus’ green eyes were. He tried and failed to look at Diego's worried face before he extended his left hand to touch his cheek for just a moment. Warmth pooled in his stomach at the gesture. It was small and perhaps it was stupid of him to forgive and forget so easily. But this was Klaus and no matter how much Klaus had hurt him in the recent past, he loved him. He couldn't just switch this off like everyone expected him to.

»Diego…« Klaus slurred. »I’m sorry I was so mean to you.«

»No, no it's okay.« He replied quickly as if he was running out of time here. »I get it, Klaus. It's not your fault. Come on, I’ll get you back to your room and get Mom, okay? Just tell me if you took anything.«

»Diego.« He almost flinched at his brother’s voice behind him. Over his own rapid heartbeat and fear for his brother, he hadn't even heard how Luther had approached the bathroom to check on the commotion. Luther’s face was serious as always as Diego turned to look over his shoulder.

»He’s sick.« Diego explained just before Luther could go on a rant about how inappropriate all of this was. »He threw up and he has a fever. I wanted to take him back to bed and-«

»Go fetch Mom.« Luther droned on, his voice seemingly bare of emotion, as he stepped into the room with his remaining two brothers. »I’ll take care of this.«

»But-«

»Diego … You should not be here.« As they shared a glance, it was the first time since that god-awful night in the sitting room that Diego thought he saw something akin to compassion in Luther's cold blue eyes. »If Dad finds you here … Just go fetch Mom, okay? And don't tell anyone that you found him here. Don't make this harder for yourself than it already is.«

Anger was Diego's default reaction to almost everything Luther would say and yet, as he slowly let go of Klaus and got to his feet, he didn't quite know what he felt towards his brother now. Was Luther really trying to protect him in this situation? Was he really understanding how hard all of this was for both Diego and Klaus? Or was this all some elaborate spiel? Then again, Luther had never been a very manipulative person. He was not smart enough to be one.

He left Klaus with a heavy heart and when he later returned to his room with Mom, Luther had already tucked their brother in and kept watch over Klaus’, sitting at the edge of his bed with Klaus naked and certainly cold feet in his lap. It was rare to see Luther being compassionate with anyone except Allison, it was rare to see Luther taking care of anyone except Allison. Diego felt like an intruder as he just stood there and watched over the scene. Ever since Ben’s death, Luther was a little different, a bit more somber and secluded perhaps. Maybe he even blamed himself for Ben’s death just like everyone else was blaming him.

Diego watched as Mom took over from Luther before Number One got up from the bed to give both Klaus and Mom a bit more space. Diego wanted to step away and retreat to his own room but as he walked down the hall, Luther suddenly grabbed him by the elbow. It was not the same hard and unrelenting grip he would usually use on him in anger. It was just a silent plea to stop and listen for a moment.

»You should go.« Luther mumbled as quietly as he could into the semi-darkness of the hallway.

»I was about to go back to bed.«

»That's not what I meant.« Luther let out a frustrated little sigh and drove a hand through his blonde hair. Luther, their fearless leader, had never been good with words. Well, he had never been good at leading either. »You should leave. The two of you should.«

»Luther … what are you…«

»Just listen, okay?« He seemed fidgety all of a sudden, nervous even. »Ben died … Five is gone. And if you two stay … I fear that Klaus might be next … or you. And I don't want that. I can't … Diego, I can't lose one more of you. So you should go. As soon as Klaus is better, you should take him and leave and never return.«

 

**-End of Chapter 1-**


	2. Chapter 2

They met in the deep shadows of the nightly courtyard - one of the only places in the academy where their father had not set up security cameras to watch upon his children. The last days of October held the city in a tight unwavering clutch and the first messengers of the approaching Winter, the cold autumn winds of a dying October, sent shivers down Diego's spine as the corner they were standing in did not provide much protection from the wind.

Around them, the house was dark and their siblings fast asleep.

He was not a friend of the cold although he should be used to it after growing up in this house, he supposed. After all, the academy was always cold for their father was of the superior and utterly unwavering opinion that getting adjusted to the cold would form their characters. Only a soul that was suffering hardships and got forged in the fires of hell would be worthy of a true hero - and that was, after all, exactly what Sir Reginald Hargreeves was trying to raise here. Heroes, not children. Unlike Luther, Diego had never truly subscribed to that idea, though.

There might have been a time in his life when he thought he wanted to become a hero but those days were long gone and that boy long dead - drowned in one of the heavy water tanks on the roof during one of Sir Reginald’s countless experiments. The Kraken, the little boy who had been so eager to please his father, had grown up a bit too fast. At least that was how it sometimes felt to Diego. He seemed to have missed out on quite a few years of his adolescence inside this academy. All the little details and dramas that normal teenagers out in the real world would be going through, Diego and his siblings seemed to have missed out on. That did not mean, however, that he was immune to the thralls of teenage rebellion.

He was seventeen now and almost a man. Other boys his age were applying to college right now and Diego was meeting his adopted brother under the cover of night in a dark corner of the old yard. His brother, whom he could only love from afar these days and whose absence from his grasp physically seemed to hurt him. Even the stolen glances and lingering touches of their past were these days strictly forbidden - poisonous almost.

Discovery of what they were up to out here would be cataclysmic to not only their relationship but to their lives as a whole and Diego was not nearly naive enough to harbor any illusions in this regard.

Their adoptive father, Sir Reginald Hargreeves, was a cruel bastard and he would not shy away from doing something terrible to Klaus to ensure that at least Diego would not be dragged down by his illustrious brother and his bad habits. The root cause of all his problems seemed to be Klaus in their father's eyes. Klaus, who refused to accept his powers, Klaus who was unwilling to tap into his true potential - _willingly,_  if their father could be believed - Klaus, who was his biggest disappointment, as their father was always so eager to point out.

He could hardly make out Klaus’ pale face in the unrelenting darkness of the night. Diego was almost afraid to say something to break the silence, horrified that his voice might prompt alarm sirens to go off in the yard immediately.

»I’m sorry.« He whispered into the darkness and he felt like even though he had said these words a thousand times already since their family knew about them, it never was enough. Klaus might have forgiven him that he had just stood aside and watched their father punish Klaus but Diego would never forgive himself. Klaus might have forgiven him that he had so easily crumbled under his father’s scrutiny and even though Diego had done it out of the hope that it would lessen the punishment for his brother and himself, he would never forgive himself.

His trust in Luther was meager at best and yet it was all Diego got now as he opened his mouth to say what he had to say, hoping that Luther was doing what he had promised him earlier this evening. He knew that it was always a gamble with his brother. There was always the fifty-fifty chance that Luther would betray them both and stab them in the back.

»I need you to promise me something.« He could feel the ever-looming threat of his stutter, his old adversary, knocking softly at the back of his throat. _Imagine the words, Diego_ , he warned himself. Klaus, though, seemed uncharacteristically quiet tonight but his hands, as they were reaching out to clasp Diego’s, were just as cold as they always were and thus, in a sense, comforting enough for Diego.

»I need you to promise me that you get off the drugs. Once and for all. No half measures. I need you to get clean.« He made a small pause as he felt Klaus’ fingers tighten around his own. He knew what he was asking from Number Four but Four also knew that there was no other way. »I only do this with you, if you promise me that it's only going to be you and me against the rest of the world from now on.«

※※※※※※※

He didn't trust the plan. Obviously, he trusted Diego, but the plan … The plan had its flaws and the most glaring one at that was the involvement of Number One, the one person in this house who would sell all his siblings to their father for just a pat on the back. Allison would at least only betray them for some nice piece of jewelry or new clothes. Luther, however, didn't need payment from their old man and that was what made him so dangerous in this particular situation. Only one more flaw of that plan was that even if Luther would not betray them willingly, he was a darn bad liar. His face betrayed him always and so their father would realize quickly that something was up.

Not to mention that they had no means of transportation yet to escape from the city and the enormous influence their father had on it and how easily the cops would find them when first alarmed of their disappearance.

Well, there was no fun without taking a few risks now was there?

And, heck, he’d be damned but all Diego needed to do to convince him of any plan anyway was stare at him with those chocolate brown eyes and gently bite down on his bottom lip sheepishly. How was he ever going to resist Diego and his lip-biting tendencies? His favorite not-blood-related sibling had no idea how sexy he was when he did that! The ugly truth was, Klaus would follow him through fire just for that and to the ends of the world for everything else. It had always been like this.

He would admit that their relationship might be controversial to outsiders and perhaps even a little unorthodox or messed-up, to begin with, but that didn't make it any less real for them. Klaus had always known that he liked men exclusively ever since he had first laid uselessly on Allison’s bed and skimmed through her little teen magazines with all those gorgeous boys in it. The first time he had seen young Leo DiCaprio shirtless, he had been doomed. Well, he would be doomed to see Leo DiCaprio shirtless now too, he guessed. Discovering that he liked men had been easy, so to say and accepting it just as easy as well. He had been already father’s biggest disappointment and Reggie probably regretted stealing him from his mother, to begin with, so what was there to lose? He had never come out, so to say. His siblings seemed to just have known from the start and that was that. No need to make a big deal about it. No need to wear rainbow colors to show anyone who he was inside.

Discovering that he liked Diego, his own brother, however, had been a bit more difficult and accepting it … Well … to say it had been hard would be the understatement of the century.

They had always been close, just like he had always been close to Ben. With Diego, though, it had always been different in some odd way. His love for Diego had always had a very different flavor than the love he had always felt for Ben or the rest of their siblings. It had been deeper, in some way, more intense, perhaps. He had always been able to tell when Diego had entered a room and not just because of the sound of his footsteps because Diego moved almost entirely without sound like a prancing tomcat. There was this certain energy sizzling in the air when he was around Diego. It had always been like that. The tiny hairs on his arms standing on edge, a fluttering in his stomach as if a pit was opening beneath him to swallow him whole.

Needless to say, as he had first realized what he was feeling for Diego, he had been terrified. He had tried to stay as far away from the Kraken as possible and yet never quite succeeded as they had been drawn to each other like magnets again and again. He had started to flee the house at night and his constant hunt for drugs had soon become only an excuse for his hunt for other men who reminded him of Diego. He had thrown away his body and, in many cases, his dignity just to forget what he felt for him. He had thought that, if he would just fuck enough other guys, he would be cured of this unhealthy obsession.

Diego had been far from being his first guy, of course, but that did not mean that Klaus could not pretend that he was. After all, Diego had been the first guy he had truly fallen for and that had to count for something. It did count for Klaus and that was all that mattered, he supposed as he stood in his dark room and tried to make as little noise as possible as he was sliding a few items of clothing into his worn out backpack on top of the blankets he had already packed.

He had stolen this one from a shop in downtown on one of his excursions. It was bright green and already had a few crude drawings with sharpie on it, courtesy of Ben Hargreeves. If Ben would have gotten the chance to grow up with them, he would have certainly become a comic book artist and a damn good at that one too. One of Ben’s self-drawn comics was only one of the more sentimental items that found its way into his backpack.

Klaus ignored the soft hum of approval coming from the darkest corner of his room where he knew his brother sat and watched him with sad eyes.

Klaus was acutely aware of the surveillance cameras that their father had always trained on their beds but over in the corner where his closet was, he should be safe. Not that his father would have cared in the past whenever Klaus had snuck out of his bedroom window. As long as Klaus was only destroying his own life, he assumed, he didn't care. In fact, he had long stopped trying to get him to stop taking his drugs after Klaus had broken his hold, again and again, to slip out at night and get wasted.

The only reason why he had picked up the steam on his punishments was Reginald’s fear that Klaus would drag Diego down with him and that couldn't happen. After all, he needed all his perfect little soldiers and that included Diego - not so much Klaus, however. Klaus had never been cut out to blindly follow along like the others. He was lightning trapped in a bottle. He was a hurricane and Diego and Ben were the only two people in this family who accepted him the way he was without trying to change him.

There was fear gnawing at his stomach as he stripped out of his uniform to put on the few clothes he had accumulated over the past years without Daddy dearest’ knowledge and that he would usually put on to go clubbing. No one would let a teenager in a school uniform inside a nightclub, after all. He had come to love the clothes that his father would deem trashy. His favorite pair of black skinny jeans were his constant companion for a few months now and so where his black canvas shoes.

He was quick to put on a shirt he had stolen from Ben’s closet once. Not that his dead brother would mind. Ironically enough, it showed Cthulhu, as Ben had had a thing for Lovecraft and his Eldritch monstrosities while fearing them at the very same time. Benny, the Horror, had been a boy of contradictions in many ways. He had always been quiet but his absence now was loud and unrelenting. Ben’s death had ripped a hole into this family in many ways. Their family had always been a fragile little construct ever since Five vanished, like a spider’s web glistening in the early sunlight of a new daw. Ben’s death had ripped that spiderweb apart completely and Klaus was aware that he wasn’t the only one hurting because of it.

Despite his love for flimsy and revealing clothes, he even put on one of Ben’s hoodies. After all, it was October and from now on the days and nights would only get colder. He knew from experience that when it came to running away from home, warm clothes were one of the most valuable of resources to survive out there. With Ben’s, shirt and zip-up hoodie and his own worn out dark green leather jacket on top, he was ready to fling his backpack over his shoulder and leave.

Yet, even as he slipped out of his room in the shadows of the night and entered the hallway, fear was never leaving him. Heck, he was terrified. Not for his own sake, he might add. The worst his father could do to him was to kick him out once and for all and Klaus would take that chance to escape gladly. His fear was for Diego’s sake. So often his father had tried to beat him into submission through words or actual physical beatings and yet he had never quite succeeded. Even his last attempt of getting between Diego and him, though successful for a little while, had been a terrible failure in the end.

He tried his best not to be a romantic little school girl thinking of himself and Diego as some type of star-crossed tragic lovers in some odd Shakespearean drama - although he knew almost all of them word by word thanks for Allison needing a partner to practice her lines after dad had finally allowed her to become a part of a theater club in the neighborhood at age fourteen.

Oh, how many times had he been the Romeo to her Juliet? How many times had he been the Hamlet to her Ophelia? Of course, his sister had only gotten the lead roles and the rest of her siblings had always shown up to the performances. Still … he much rather not have Diego and his tragic romance end in a similar fashion to Romeo and Juliet.

He just was not worth it that Diego would die for him.

He snuck out into the hallway and past the doors of his siblings. Everything was quiet as it should be, the only sound in the house the creaking of floorboards and wooden beams shifting and adjusting under the weight of centuries. Yet, he was aware that two of his siblings were lying in their beds wide awake and listening just as intently as he was.

The academy was a building that had been shaped by Sir Reginald eccentricity. Where once a simple umbrella factory stood hundreds of years ago, was now a mansion that had grown and grown with all the weird ideas its owner had, swallowing closed-off shops and other peoples’ vacant houses in the process. There was no comprehensible blueprint of this house. Many doors led to nowhere, there were staircases that had been forgotten to be torn off and led into naked walls where once was a doorway to another part of the house, and oh so many hidden corners and niches that allowed foolish children to sneak to and do things they were not supposed to do.

The plan was that Klaus would sneak out through the kitchen door into the back alley as he had done on a few other occasions when he had run away from home. They wanted it to look like Klaus had finally had enough and that he was leaving for good this time. Their father would not stop him. He had never stopped him.

He would meet Diego a the corner shop where they had sometimes been allowed to buy candy when they had been little. He remembered Diego stuttering out what he wanted to the nice little old lady behind the cash register. It was the first time that he was leaving this house in the dead of the night that he felt fear gripping his heart tightly.

Escaping the house like this was easy for him. His father would see it on the surveillance footage in his office and would just take it as it was. There was nothing for him of risk, really. However, his trust in Luther had never been strong. Sure, there had been timed when his big brother had protected him in some capacity but those had been rare over the past seventeen years and usually happened only on missions when Klaus had been about to get his ass handed to him. He was no fighter, after all, and Luther had always made sure that Klaus would be aware of that.

And yet, as he reached the kitchen and took in the familiar smell of lemon cleaning agents and freshly baked bread, he knew that the success of their plan and Diego’s escape rested solely on Luther’s strong shoulders.

※※※※※※※

There was a certain sense of sadness and nostalgia welling up in him as he was lying in his bed, staring at the ceiling in the darkness of the room, fully clothed with his belts around his hips and his chest but hidden under a thick blanket. He would never leave his knives behind. Maybe that was not the wisest decision. A teenager with knives strapped to his body sure would turn some heads. They were a part of him, though. How would he be able to leave them behind?

Looking back on everything, he had never thought that he would run away from the academy at one point in his life. There had been a time when he had thought that he would just stay with everyone else and become a real superhero. And then there had been a time when he had been certain that he would move on from the academy like every normal teenager would. He would grow up and go to the police academy, become a proper cop and save the normal people of this town.

Now that he came to this crossroads in his life, his only options were to either stay and submit to his father’s rules or to follow his heart - literally. He knew that he still had time to think about what he was going to do. He had heard Klaus leave his room about ten minutes ago. There was still the chance to just stay. Klaus would leave this place once and for all - he already had. And now it was on him to follow him or … stay.

He could always just stay and become a numb, mindless drone like Luther. And without Klaus being here as a constant distraction and reminder of what he was not allowed to have or feel, it would be easier too. There was a surveillance camera trained on his bed at all times and so he laid there in the darkness and stared at the ceiling. Waiting and listening to the sounds of the ancient house creaking in the night and turning over in its sleep like a giant beast.

He imagined Mom sitting in the picture gallery and dreaming of the world she could only know from the paintings. She had never been allowed to leave the house. He imagined Allison in her nice bed, sleeping like dead with no inkling of what was going on right now, blissfully ignorant to the fact that, come tomorrow, she would have lost two more brothers. He imagined Vanya and her vacant stare when she would realize that Diego and Klaus had left.

As his door creaked open just a smidgen, he did not react or turn his head. The hallway was dark outside his room and so he couldn't see the face of his brother anyway, he could just feel his presence.

»Ready?« Luther whispered so silently that Diego wouldn't have heard him if it wouldn't have been for his sharp ears.

»Ready.« Diego replied quietly and just as he heard the creaking of his door, he turned his head to look at it just slightly. With a little bit of fantasy, he would be able to make out Luther’s ever worried face in the darkness. »Luther? Thank you.«

He didn't get a response at first and he was almost sure that Luther had already left and not even heard him. His wristwatch was loudly ticking inside the small bedroom and he was counting the seconds. Ten minutes from the moment Luther would leave him until he would have reached their father’s office.

»Just … be safe.« Luther finally whispered into the darkness before he finally vanished into the night. And that was that. No heartfelt goodbyes, no tear-filled apologies. Just two brothers parting ways for possibly forever in the darkness of this October night as if it meant nothing while both of them were painfully aware of the magnitude of this situation.

 _Ten minutes now,_  Diego reminded himself. _Ten minutes._ The plan was far from perfect but it was the best shot that they would have. Luther would go to their father's office and he would try to distract him from the surveillance monitors while their father would be taking notes of their behavior in their sleep. It was not new to them that he did this.

Five had found out about it long before he vanished and Klaus had more than once declared just how creepy that was because what if he wanted to jerk off in peace? By now, their father was probably aware that Klaus was already gone from the house and their whole plan was forged on the idea that Reginald would not try to get Klaus back now.

While Luther would be distracting his father, Diego would sneak out of his room with his already packed backpack that he had shoved under his bed earlier, and into Klaus’ room. Funnily enough, Klaus’ bedroom was the only one with easy access to the old fire escape that led into the back alley. The best case scenario would be that their father would realize that Diego was gone when they were already on their way out of town.

 _Eight minutes now._  He was starting to get restless. He wanted to get out of his bed now but for their plan to work as they had decided upon it, it was important that he would stick to it as well. Their father seeing that Diego was trying to escape could make or break all of this because unlike Klaus, Diego was still valuable to their father. _Six minutes._

Terror started to seep into his bones and made them heavy like iron. What if Luther would stab him in the back after all? Perhaps not even willingly! Luther was such a bad liar, though. Their father had never taught them how to lie and that was why Luther especially was so bad at it. What if Luther would crumble under Reginald’s stare as he was so prone to do? This was Luther, after all, and Dad’s word was like the law of the land to him. He had never known anything else, after all.

The fact that he had to trust his brother in that capacity to not fuck up their plan made him uneasy. _Two minutes._  He started to feel antsy and yet didn't dare to move. Ever since the night in which he had found Klaus on the bathroom floor and had had this discussion with Luther, he had played it safe with Klaus. He had acted exactly as his father had wanted him to act towards Number Four - with cold indifference. His father was certainly not naive enough to believe that two teenage boys who had just slept with each other would actually drop all their feelings for the other one so easily and quickly and it wasn't necessary that he believed it either.

It was only necessary that Reginald believed that Diego and Klaus had understood that they could not do something like that. It was necessary that Reginald believed that Klaus had left the house once and for all out of heartbreak over the end of their forbidden little tragic romance. It was important that Reginald believed that it was more important to Diego to please his father and be a proper superhero than to be with Klaus. And they had done their best to make him believe that these past two weeks now.

Ever since they had come up with the plan for tonight, a hushed whisper of a promise in a nightly courtyard, Klaus had given his best performance of a heartbroken teenager that he could have come up with. It certainly helped that he so often helped Allison to practice. His reactions had always been on point, the tears he would shed just rare enough when he thought no one could see him while counting exactly on the opposite. And Diego, for his part, had thrown all his energy into training and making his father the proudest he had ever been. He was besting his times in running nearly every day at this point and had made even greater progress than Luther when it came to free climbing. His father had not needed to force him into the water tank as Diego had climbed in willingly.

His only worry in all of this truly was Luther and the envy his brother might possibly feel in this regard. They had always been so competitive with each other, after all. What if Luther would want to put him down a notch out of jealousy? And what better way to do so than fucking up Klaus and Diego’s plan of running away together?

His wristwatch ticked the last second away and immediately Diego got up from his bed. He had to work quickly as he stuffed his pillows under the blanket in a way that it would look like he was still lying under them before he pulled his backpack out from under the bed and flung it over his shoulders. Time was of the essence now.

As he opened his door to the hallway, his heart was pounding against his ribcage. Almost he was afraid that he would run into his father right outside his door. He was afraid that Luther might have betrayed them and had led his father here to see the plan unfold for himself. Only darkness greeted him outside of his room, though.

Klaus’ room was right next to his own, tucked away safely into the corner of the hallway between Vanya’s room and Diego’s room. He slid across the wall and right into Klaus’ bedroom. For once the fairy lights that his brother had strung up all across the walls were shut off and it took him a moment to realize that Klaus had taken them with him. The thought made a small smile cross his features. _Typical,_  he thought. Klaus loved his fairy lights. He had worked hard for them.

Diego had never snuck out of the house like this - unlike Klaus - and his brother had always mocked him for it, said that he was missing out on the fun of being a rebellious teenager. Maybe he was right. Maybe now was the right moment to finally join him on the fun.

As he opened Klaus’ window as silently as he possibly could, he recalled a time when his father had threatened Klaus nearly daily that he would bolt down his window or that he would put bars in front of it to keep him from escaping. Klaus, however, had then proceeded to prove to Reginald that he didn't need the fire escape to escape the house. It was only more convenient this way. Klaus was, in fact, a very talented climber, much to everyone’s surprise. He might not be the strongest of the team but he could definitely pull his own weight when it came to it. And he was resourceful in ways that neither Diego nor Luther were.

As he climbed out of Klaus’ window the cold breath of the dying days of Autumn did not manage to quench his fear. He was not safe yet and he felt weighed down by nostalgia and a profound sense of sadness that came with leaving the house he had grown up in. He would miss this place in a strange way. He would miss his siblings. He would miss Mom. Hell, he would even miss the early morning drills or the missions.

It was worth it, though. He hoped, at least, that it was worth it.

Putting his trust in Luther not to fuck him over was hard enough but putting his trust in Klaus … sometimes it was impossible and no one knew this better than Diego. He climbed down the fire escape anyway. He banished these thoughts from his mind. He had made the decision to leave this house and start a life of his own with Klaus and there was no turning back now. He had already made the first step. Diego didn't hesitate as he jumped down from the fire escape and he didn't look back as he started running down the alley.

Partly, he expected to hear his father yelling for him or even for his mother to stand in his way when he would reach the mouth of the alley but nothing happened. Luther had gone through with their plan and no one was trying to stop him. It was an awfully nauseating little realization for some strange reason that he didn't care to explore further now.

After all, he would have all the time in the world to do so from now on.

The moment he jumped down that fire escape and barrelled down the alley and into the silent street behind the mansion, he left Diego Hargreeves behind. Diego Hargreeves would from now on only exist as a ghost in this old house much like Five or even Ben. He was dead now and his father would treat him as such. On this night, Sir Reginald Hargreeves had lost two more sons to the cold embrace of death and Diego couldn't help but wonder if he would go as far as to put up some painting or statue of either one of them.

He had to run around the mansion to get to where he wanted to go and though it was tempting, he never looked back and he never saw Vanya standing in her bedroom window as she was watching how her brother fled their home. If he would have seen her standing there, he might have wondered in the future if this was what had prompted her, not even a year later, to leave the house too.

The cold air was biting into Diego’s skin as he ran like he was hunted down by wolves and as he reached the corner shop his heart gave a sudden jolt of electricity through his body as he found Klaus sitting on the steps that were leading to the door of the dark shop, waiting for him with his bright green backpack. Diego knew right then and there that he had done everything just right and that there was no reason to regret his decision.

Klaus jumped up from his position as he heard him approach and, with the widest grin possible, flung his arms an legs around Diego the moment he had reached him. Klaus jumped him so suddenly that Diego almost stumbled backward. He would have fallen on his ass had he not reflexively caught Klaus, digging his nails into his jeans right on his ass. Klaus pressed his mouth against his so desperately that Diego wanted to fall apart right here and now.

Klaus was like a hurricane. He was lightning trapped in a bottle and Diego knew that he would follow him to the ends of the world.

 

**-End of Chapter 2-**


	3. Chapter 3

Diego felt like they were truly going rogue as he circled the old beige caddy that had been discarded at the side of the road in the bad part of town. The doors were locked but that was not a big problem for Klaus who seemed to have experience in forcefully opening car doors with nothing except a metal coat hanger he had found discarded on the side of the street for some reason. It was clear to Diego that the car would not be missed. Diego had never had a big thing for cars, that was more Luther’s forte. But he could tell that the car was at least from the late ’70s and in a good condition for that too.

Someone had just left it here at the side of the road and the car looked as if it hadn't been used or moved in at least a year now. Perhaps the owner had died suddenly and no one had taken care of his car. In this part of town, Diego would not be surprised if that would be the case. As they found the car in the precious little hours somewhere in-between midnight and sunrise, Klaus had pinched his lips but his only commentary when it came to the car was that he didn't like the color.

»I don't know … maybe we should just … walk.« Diego hummed as Klaus threw his backpack into the backseat, already climbing into the passenger’s side of the car as if stealing a car in the middle of the night was normal for him.

»Look, Diego! It still has a radio! Jackpot!« Klaus grinned from inside and it was this grin that made Diego sigh before climbing into the car as well and throwing his backpack to where Klaus had discarded his own. He had always been one of the good guys, never went against the rules even slightly. He liked upholding the law and now here he was, stealing someone’s caddy.

»So … how do we do this? There are no keys.« Diego mumbled, the uneasiness he felt clear in his voice and Klaus only gave a soft eye roll before he leaned over and plastered himself across Diego’s lap. He was sure that his brother was doing it on purpose just to throw him off a little. Ever since Klaus had realized that Diego liked him in this way, he had done his best to fuck with him in some fashion. Sitting across from him at the dining table had become increasingly more hard with Klaus brushing off his shoes and brushing his naked feet along Diego’s legs every now and then. Not that it came to anyone’ surprise that Klaus was a very tactile person.

It didn't take Klaus long to reach underneath the steering wheel and search for the right wires before he skillfully stole a knife from Diego to cut two of the wires. It was like in the movies Dad sometimes - rarely - allowed them to watch as he watched Klaus hotwire that car and Diego couldn't deny that he was impressed with his brother’s skill in the matter. He needed Klaus to show him how that worked the first chance they would get before they might have enough money to go to someone who wouldn't ask too many uncomfortable questions to fashion them a new key for the car. Come to think of it, Klaus probably knew a guy.

The car was coming to life with a pitiful cough and a stutter at first as Klaus connected the wires and tried to conjure the spark that the old car needed until suddenly a roar tore from its throat at once. Klaus let out a squeal of excitement at his success and Diego was tempted to join him on that. But even as he had managed to successfully do CPR on the car, Klaus refused to remove his head from Diego’s lap at first. Instead, he just stared at him with this bright smile on his face that Diego had missed more than he would ever be able to describe these past few weeks.

»There we go!« Klaus grinned just as Diego brought a hand to his cheek and brushed just the tips of his fingers over the soft skin.

Klaus had yet to lose the rest of his puppy fat in his cheek and Diego knew that he would miss it when he would finally have lost this last reminder of his youth. They were still so incredibly young and never had Diego been more aware of this fact than at that precise moment. And yet, he could already see the man that was lurking behind Klaus’ vibrant green eyes and those soft cheeks. He could already see him underneath the surface and he had never been more excited to witness this transformation.

»We should get going.« Diego reminded Klaus even though the words were meant more for himself if he was being honest. It would be too easy to get lost in the moment now with the weight of Klaus’ head resting comfortably on his lap. With a small sigh, Klaus sat up but he did not retreat to his side of the bench seats without stealing another kiss from Diego’s lips. Only then, he leaned back in his seat and propped his feet up on the dashboard.

»And thus the journey of Diego and Klaus begins.« Klaus grinned as Diego let the brakes go and carefully pushed the gas. He had learned to drive a year ago together with the others, except for Vanya and Klaus. Well, Klaus had tried to learn but he had failed miserably and considering the drugs in his system, it probably was for the better as well. Diego would teach him some day, he thought. The drugs were in the past now, after all.

»Where to?« Diego smiled as Klaus switched on the radio. Soon some funky country music station let their music wash over them and though he expected Klaus to change the station right away, his brother only laughed and let the music continue.

»The ocean!« Klaus grinned. »I wanna see the ocean.«

»We have a long way to go then.« Diego hummed as he drove down the street.

»We have our whole life to get there, Dee.«

※※※※※※※

The shakes came around noon that same day. He tried his best to keep it a secret from Diego as he curled in on himself and rested his head against the dusty window, watching idly as the landscape flew by and trying to distract himself by counting the cars that were headed in the opposite direction. Their new car needed a wash soon - or rain. He had been lulled into sleep right after the sun had risen over the horizon and the surrounding smaller mountains and a part of him had felt bad about it because poor Diego needed to stay alert and awake as he was driving down the dusty country roads or through thickly forested areas. He hadn't complained once yet. Then again, Diego was rarely one to complain.

Sometimes, while growing up, Klaus forgot just how beautiful the scenery around their hometown was. The city was surrounded by thick lush forests that were almost too inviting for hikers and others alike. They had never been allowed out of the city, so, Klaus thought, it was hardly his fault for forgetting about the beautiful nature their state had to offer.

Ever since they had left the city and drove over its border and into freedom, their drive had been uneventful for the most part. The moment they had left the city’s lights behind, Klaus had cheered in his seat and Diego had slammed down on the gas extra hard. They both had been somewhat convinced that, would they slow down even for a second, they would be able to see red and blue lights behind them, a battalion of cop cars hot on their trail under Reginald’s command. Nothing like that had happened. No exciting little car chase like Bonnie and Clyde, no race against the time. Just two teenage boys in a stolen beige car heading down the interstate and then into country roads from there. And all to the tune of crappy country music only disrupted occasionally by some news anchor who tiredly delivered the same few news over and overall throughout the night up to the point where Klaus could recite them word for word.

»She needs a name.« Klaus spoke up tiredly as he fought hard against drowsiness. He couldn't just leave Diego alone again to fall asleep. They were partners in crime, after all. And while Diego was driving, it was Klaus’ duty to keep him awake and alert and occasionally feed him a few gummy bears he had stolen from the house.

»Who does?« Diego looked at him as if he had torn him from a deep dream. Hell, and apparently _he_ was the one staring into space all the time.

»She. The car.«

»She?«

»Cars are always she's, Diego. Like ships and boats.«

»Oh.« He huffed almost even amused by this statement. It was obvious to Klaus, though, that he was tired as hell and needed rest soon. Diego, however, was a good sport and used to being driven to the point of maximum exhaustion. That was, after all, what their father used to do to all of them. They had been forced through endless amounts of training until they would have collapsed. »Any ideas?«

»What about Martha?« Klaus offered after a small while of thinking about the name of their new car. She was part of the family now, after all, so she deserved a proper name.

»Martha as in Bruce Wayne’s mother?«

»And Superman’s.«

Diego rolled his eyes with a soft little chuckle. »Martha it is.«

Martha delivered them both safely to a crappy little 50’s diner as the afternoon rolled around. The diner was pretty unassuming as it stood at the side of the road surrounded by a gravel parking lot right next to an equally old looking gas-station. A few trucks already stood waiting for their owners in the parking lot. The restaurant surely had had its charms a lifetime ago but now it looked as if the next little storm that would come along would take off that ugly iron sheet roof. It clearly had seen better days and might just as well really been from the fifties, as Klaus realized walking over to it. If it really was this old, well, no one had ever taken it upon themselves to refurbish it.

They had not much money in their possession and so, until they would have been able to make some money, they needed to use it sparingly. Diego was sure to remind Klaus of that as they had a look at the menu while simultaneously telling him that he needed to eat properly. Not that Klaus would be very hungry anyway.

The interior of the diner was just like the outside had led him to expect: outdated and somewhat falling apart. The black an white checkered tiles were clearly still the originals and cracked here and there where, in the cause of their life, various items had fallen onto the ground. An old steel vent rattled along right over the door to the kitchen behind the counter, the boots and chairs were covered in cracked and torn red leather and the smell of bacon and eggs and grease hung heavily in the air mixed with the smells of the various very much unwashed other customers that were gathered all across the diner, all seated by themselves and not willing to make any kind of conversation with their colleagues or them - which Klaus was generally very thankful for. Diego and he had taken an empty booth close to the door and were each occupying one side of the table. Between them only the aluminum napkin dispenser that every crappy diner seemed to own and two bottles of ketchup and mustard.

Of course, while his brother Diego was worried about their monetary situation, Klaus knew one or two ways how to make a bit of cash in places like this. As he looked around the diner, he saw at least three truckers eyeing the teens curiously.

»The withdrawal started, didn't it?« Diego asked quietly after the waitress - a middle-aged lady with dirty blonde hair and a face that reminded Klaus more of a bulldog than anything else - later delivered two plated with burgers with fries to their table. Klaus didn't say anything because of it, not even that he was not hungry or that the mere thought of putting food in his body was turning his stomach and making him feel nauseous - not to mention the smell. Diego, however, needed to eat. He needed his strengths and he needed to get some rest in.

»It's not so bad.« He lied with the best smile that he could muster but Diego saw right through it as always.

»Come on.« Diego rolled his eyes biting off a huge chunk of his burger. In this regard, Diego was much like Luther. Those two could eat like full-grown tigers. However, knowing that Klaus was Klaus and wouldn't say something, he changed the topic quickly. »Just tell me when it gets worse, okay?«

»I will.« It was an empty promise, of course, but at least it seemed to put Diego’s mind at ease for now because the very next moment, his brother pulled out the map that they had found in the glove compartment of the car and unfolded it until he found where they were and pointed at the spot.

»So … If we drive through the night, we could reach the ocean tomorrow night I guess.«

»You need to sleep, though.« Klaus scolded with a small huff of a chuckle even though he didn't feel like being funny right now. He felt like crap and like he wanted to fall down on the ground and just sleep there forever - or to find every pill on the planet and pop it right now. He had given Diego a promise, though and he intended to stick to it.

»Nah, I’m fine.«

»Yeah, sure you are.«

»Okay, here’s the deal.« Diego sighed and snapped his brown eyes back up at Klaus next. »You’re gonna eat that burger and then we’ll find a place to camp when it's getting dark and I sleep.«

He rolled his eyes before forcing himself to at least have a bite of his own burger. It that was what it would take for Diego to listen to reason and adhere to his body’s demands, so be it. Everything seemed to taste like cardboard to him at the moment. Worse. He felt like he could taste every single molecule of that burger. He soldiered on regardless with a grin on his face as he noticed the fond twinkle in Diego’s eyes.

Believing that they actually left their family behind to run away together didn't come easy and he was still not sure that he was not actually dreaming all of this. They were here. Together. There had been a moment when he had been waiting outside that corner shop for Diego when he had been scared that Diego wouldn't come because he had changed his mind. As he had then seen his beloved Number Two running down the street towards him, his heart almost exploded in his chest in joy. He wasn’t used to be chosen by anyone over anything else. He was not used to be anyone’s number one thing in the world.

It didn't take long for Diego to finish his food and for Klaus to shove his own fries over to his brother. Diego took it with humor as he started to devour the fries too while Klaus was still fighting against his burger.

»You’ll see, we’ll get some meat on these bones.« Diego huffed with a mouthful of fries.

»You have some seriously weird fetishes, Baby.«

Klaus actually managed to finish the burger just as Diego came back from the toilet a few minutes later. While Diego was sitting down again and waved the waitress over to pay, Klaus too got up from his seat and walked over to the restrooms. He didn't need to pee but felt like puking his soul out. After paying, Diego would wait for Klaus outside in the car. Klaus had shown him how to hotwire Martha a little earlier when they first arrived at the diner and he was actually quite happy to escape from this diner as quickly as possible now.

The bathroom was just as unexciting as the rest of the diner and was in dire need of a good thorough clean - not that Janis out there would waste any second thought about sending someone with a mop to the men’s restroom. Why should she? Truckers were not known to be picky about their toilets or the food they would consume in places like this one. Well, the burger hadn't been too bad.

That very thought made him hurl said burger into the toilet the moment he had managed to barge into one of the stalls.

The worst about this was that he knew that it would only get worse from here on. He had danced this tango quite a few times already and he knew that he had the worst before him still. And poor Diego had to witness him at his lowest soon. Fuck. It was only a matter of time now until Diego would realize what a disgusting mess Number Four really was.

»Need help in there?« Over the sound of his own vomiting, he hadn't even heard how someone else had entered the restroom. It was his natural instinct to tense up a little at the sound of the voice. Call it experience.

»I’m good.« Klaus coughed before he hurled up the rest of his burgers. What a waste. »Just getting sick being on the road for too long.«

»Can't say the same!« The stranger laughed and Klaus grew vaguely aware of the sound of the man pissing into one of the urinals. Growing up in a house like their home certainly had its perks. Klaus was, of course, no stranger to dirty restrooms like this right here but he knew that he would miss the standards that they had had at home. For the most part, he would miss it that at home he hadn't needed to talk to some random stranger taking a piss while puking his guts out and kneeling on a dirty bathroom floor. »I can fetch your boyfriend if you want me to. He just left and went over to your car. Nice one you got there.«

»My boyfriend or the car?« His _boyfriend_. Under other circumstances, Klaus would have probably swooned over the fact that he was now finally able to call Diego that in public without the ever-looming threat of their father hanging above them. Only briefly it occurred to Klaus that it might have been smarter to brush the stranger off and deny being with Diego.

The man laughed and he would have sounded friendly enough if Klaus would be more naive and not in the position he was currently in. He had to be careful now. As there was nothing left in his stomach, he finally got up and flushed.

Klaus dreaded leaving the stall and coming face to face with the man. But if he would stay too long, Diego would get suspicious and come find him. He didn't want him to know that he had just thrown up what he had eaten under his watchful eyes. It was childish and stupid, yes, but it was what it was and Klaus was a stupid child. Just as he heard the water being turned on at the sink, Klaus slowly staggered out of the stall and caught a glimpse of the other man through the mirror over the sinks. He forced a weak smile as he walked over and turned the water on to thoroughly wash his hands.

»You’ve got a long way to go?«

»Yeah.« Klaus shrugged.

»Where’re you headed?«

»San Diego.« He lied because it was the first thing he could think of. »Visiting family.«

»For how long have you guys been together?«

»Forever.« Klaus tried a chuckle even though he already knew where this conversation was going and he could feel the anxiety rising in his body. He was not a fighter and the other guy almost double his size. He was easy prey. That was exactly why the man had come after him. _Breathe_ , _Klaus. You are going to get out of this one alright, don't worry._ »We’ve known each other since we were born.« The man let out an appreciative whistle as if he was truly invested in this little story. As if it wasn't just pretense to get Klaus to lower his guard.

»Childhood sweethearts?« The man smirked. »Good for you, I guess. He’s a lucky man too. To have scored a pretty little thing like you. Was he your first?«

»Pardon?«

»Oh, don't be so shy, Sweetheart.« The trucker grinned. »You know what I mean. You’ve only been with him? What a waste.«

»I should get going now. He’s waiting.« The trucker had chosen the sink closest to the door so that Klaus would need to step around him no matter what. He knew what would happen next and he could see it in the gleam of the other guy’s eyes that he knew that Klaus knew.

It was a tango of sorts and all depended on the next move of his. He almost hoped that he would need to throw up again just to escape this situation. He would puke all over this guy if it meant to get out of here unscathed. The man waited for him to make the first move and, inevitably, Klaus did as his stomach betrayed him and refused to act up for once.

»Have a nice day.« Klaus tried another smile as he walked around him and, just as expected, the man grabbed him by his wrist so hard that it would certainly leave bruises.

»Hey, don't be like this, Sweetheart.«

There was a steam hammer in his chest about to crack his ribs under the pressure of its vibrations. Diego wasn’t in the diner anymore so he couldn't scream for him and maybe it was better this way. They needed to keep a low profile and knowing Diego, his brother would storm in here and stab that asshole to death for ever laying a finger on him.

»Let go of me or I’ll break your fucking hand.« The low growl of his was probably just as intimidating as the way he looked at the man - meaning not at all. He knew that he was not a very intimidating figure and that people tended to laugh at him at best if he tried to fight. Not that he couldn't fight. Just like his siblings, he had learned how to take down grown men and women when he had been just a child. His father had turned them all into weapons. Though Klaus could, in theory, kill this man with his bare hands in a multitude of ways, he was lacking the physical prowess to actually do it.

The worst about it was that the guy knew it and barked out a laugh at his threat. »You should put this pretty little mouth of yours to better use, Baby.«

The trucker pushed him into a stall before he knew it and all but slammed his head against the tiled wall. He was dizzy and disorientated for a moment and the withdrawal didn't help his confusion even in the slightest. Only as he heard how the guy behind him undid his belt and then shoved his fingers under the waistband of his jeans to pull them down without even opening the fly or the first button, Klaus jumped back into action.

It was instinct kicking in. The same instinct which had failed him so many times in a drug-filled haze in the past. Now, however, it was as sharp as one of Diego’s knives. The trucker didn't expect him to fight back now as he stood there with his pants and boxers around his ankles. He expected Klaus to be easy prey and that he was dazed enough to just let it happen and get it over with. Klaus was one stubborn asshole, though. He whirled around in the man’s lax grip on his hips and jammed his right knee into his crotch as hard as he could, taking the guy so much by surprise that he staggered back holding his exposed cock.

It was disgusting and certainly new material for the ever-growing nightmare factory that was his traumatized brain. Klaus quickly pulled up his jeans from where they had slipped down his narrow hips and before the trucker could possibly recover from the attack, Klaus rammed his own head against his, tearing a pained yell from the trucker as he stumbled against the sink in his back and sank to the ground. Another well-placed kick of Klaus’ against the side of his head, had the man groaning and dazed enough for Klaus to bend down and sneak his fingers into the man’s jacket.

He grinned at him as he took out his wallet and emptied it on the spot. »If you want a whore, buy one. I am too expensive for you.« He huffed with a confidence that he didn't quite possess as he flung the empty wallet at his face, shoved the money he had gathered into his own back pocket and quickly burst through the bathroom door just as it opened to allow another customer in.

»Hey, Kid!« The man yelled after him as he took in the scene but Klaus already made a beeline for the door of the diner. »Stop him!«

Klaus was out of the diner and running like a madman towards their car and Diego before anyone inside the diner could grasp what was going on or move a muscle to stop the teenager who had just assaulted one of the truckers and stole his money. Because that was the story that the trucker would tell and Klaus knew it. He had been there before.

»Go, go, go!« Klaus called out after he jumped into the passenger’s seat to a very much confused Diego.

»What's wrong?«

»Go, Diego!« He all but yelled just as the door of the diner burst open and a few of the truckers stormed out. That seemed to do the trick as even his dense brother realized that something had happened during his absence. Diego floored the gas pedal and they took off with screeching tires and dust flying up behind them as Diego pulled back into the road.

Klaus let out a breathless laugh and joyful scream as he rolled down the window to look back to the diner. »So long, Fuckers!« He screamed back at the group of truckers just standing there and staring after them before he sank back into his seat wheezing. »Oh, Jesus! What an adventure!«

The look Diego gave him, however, knocked his smile right off his face again. »Klaus, what the fuck?«

※※※※※※※

Rain was slamming down on the roof of the car like a thousand tiny fists and thunder was roaring like a wild beast somewhere in the distance. Inside the car, they were safe from all of this. Klaus had strung up all his fairy lights in the back of the car a little while earlier as Diego had still been driving down the endless country roads that were snaking through the mountains and forests. The fairy lights were connected to a battery pack and thus could provide the two teenagers with a little bit of light as they lay in the back of the car.

One of the perks of the car, _Martha_ , was that the back seats could be easily folded down and thus create a  semi-flat surface in the back of the car for them to lie on. It was not the most comfortable for Diego’s back but at least Klaus had been smart enough to pack a few blankets into his hideous backpack.

Diego had parked the car off the road on a small clearing in the forest and though he would have thought that it would be creepy to sleep out here in the middle of the woods, he had never felt more secure right at that moment. Then again it was hard to feel any sense of fear with Klaus in his lap, his body engulfing Diego’s cock as if he was meant to do just that. Klaus moved effortlessly in Diego’s stony grip.

»Jesus!« Diego moaned quietly as he dug his fingers into the soft flesh of Klaus’ ass while his lips were still desperately searching for his lover’s mouth. He sat cross-legged in the back of the car, his bro- his _boyfriend_ in his lap in the most delicious way possible. Heck, he was, in the end, only a hormone driven teenager, after all. Klaus had cut the serious conversation that Diego had tried to have with him short quite easily with those burning hot kisses he had trailed down Diego’s neck and he had finally lost his mind completely the moment Klaus had wrapped those sweet lips around his cock earlier.

»Not quite.« Klaus chuckled in response before he finally allowed Diego to catch his lips. They were both breathless at this point and it was only a matter of seconds until either one of them would lose it. He could feel the tremor deep down in his stomach as he was running towards the finish line and Klaus was not at all better off himself, the motions almost frantic as he was jerking himself off. When Klaus came and convulsed violently around Diego, he pulled him right over the edge with him as it should be. Diego would follow him anywhere, even down a cliff if necessary.

Sometimes this thought was a little scary.

»I love you.« He whispered between kisses even though he would much rather scream it into the world now that they didn't need to hide what they were doing anymore. They were finally free to go and to do wherever and whatever they wanted. They were free to love each other with all their heart and soul now. And yet, the whispered confession seemed much louder in the quiet of the car that was only disrupted by the rain and the thunder around them than any scream could ever be.

»You only say that because you have your dick inside me.« Klaus humored him quietly. In the soft glow of the fairy lights, it was impossible to say if the blush to Klaus’ cheeks came from the exhaustion or from Diego’s confession but he liked to believe that the latter was true. Not that it would have been the first time that Diego would have told Klaus that he loved him.

Tonight they would sleep under a sea of stars in the back of their new home. The thought excited Diego even as Klaus finally climbed off of him and even as he felt the cold of these early November nights creep in on him right away. They didn't bother to put on some clothes as they snuggled under their mountain of blankets and they didn't bother to switch off the fairy lights right away either. Klaus had always been afraid of the dark. That was why even Luther had once helped their brother to hang up those fairy lights all across the room.

»We need a mattress.« Klaus hummed quietly against Diego’s neck a little while later as he curled into Diego’s side and started drawing silly little patterns into his naked chest. He could stay like this forever, Diego thought. Just him and Klaus and their crappy old car. This was probably the closest Diego would ever get to paradise.

»I’ll get you a mattress.« Diego promised with a small chuckle. He felt bone-tired after driving for such a long time and getting almost no sleep for a few days. He had been too worried about their plan to sleep. And now here they were. Free. It still felt so surreal to him.

»Do you think that they are looking for us?«

»Who?«

»The others.« Klaus sighed and finally drew his fingers away from Diego’s chest just to put his hand on his cheek instead. He leaned into the touch of the tattooed palm right away. In the faint glow of the fairy lights, he barely saw the bruises on Klaus’ wrist but he knew that they were there and that they were the reason why Klaus had so vigorously shut him up. »Do you think that Reginald and the others are out there looking for us?«

»I don't know.« It wasn't even a lie. A part of him thought that their father wouldn't bother to look for any of them now that they had both run away and yet … They were his property. Reginald had made this perfectly clear the day he had branded all of them with this umbrella on their forearms like kettle. They were his property and he was a man who wasn't too fond of his property getting lost or stolen. »Maybe. I still can't believe that Luther helped us.«

»I do.« Klaus shrugged. »He’s not such a bad guy. He’s just … brainwashed.«

»You always try to see the good in people, huh?«

»Only in those who deserve it, I guess. There is a shitton of really bad people out there.«

»Like the guy who gave you those bruises?« Diego asked and this time he would stay firm as he caught Klaus’ hand just as Klaus wanted to pull away the offending wrist. Diego, however, was unrelenting as he caught his wrist gently and pressed a small kiss to the bruised skin before he clasped his hand and pulled it against his chest again. »Tell me what happened.«

And this time he wouldn't take Klaus’ bullshit. This time, he would make sure that his boyfriend would tell him the truth about it. His hand was clammy, the withdrawal far from being over - only forgotten for the sweet moments of pleasure that they had shared. He knew that it would get a lot worse from here on until it would get better.

»It was one of the truckers.« Klaus shrugged again. »The one with the ugly hat.«

»They all have ugly hats. They are truckers.«

»Well, this one had a Tinkerbell tattoo on his ass.«

»And how do you know what tattoo he had on his ass?« He knew where this was going and he could already feel the heat of anger rising in his cheeks. As if he could tell - and he probably could - Klaus laced his fingers with Diego’s now, grounding him at the moment.

»Well, he had his pants down when I beat him up and stole all his money.«

»And why did he have his pants down?«  

»He might or might not have tried to fuck me.«

»What?« The explosion had been inevitable and wouldn't it have been for Klaus’ weighing him down, Diego might have actually shot up and taken off running back to that diner that was by now a good amount of miles behind them. »He did what?«

»Well, I really … It's my own fault, I guess … I mean, I know how those things work, after all, right? Not my first rodeo. He thought I was easy prey and that I wouldn't be able to fight him off. Well, joke’s on him, I guess.«

»That's not funny!« Diego growled as he finally had enough of Klaus trying to convince him that nothing was wrong with all of this. »It's not funny! You should have told me right then and there!«

»You would have killed him.«

»Of course, I would have killed that asshole!« Diego growled as he leaned over him and all but cornered him with his own body. »And he would have deserved it too! No one will ever put a hand on you again, Klaus!«

»I know.« Oh, Klaus was just so talented at disarming him with just the tone of his voice. The softness of it so easily managed to calm him down. »But I don't want you to run around breaking people's’ necks for me, Diego. I am no damsel in distress.«

»I know.« He sighed. »I know but I … I couldn't help you before and I … I-I want to-«

»I know.« Klaus smiled and wrapped his thin arms around his neck to pull him closer. »I know. You want to help me. So help me get clean instead of killing people.«

 

**-End of Chapter 3-**


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a little heads up: I will be on vacation for a week starting on Wednesday. So, no update next Monday but probably later next week <3

November was the bleakest time of the year. It was rainy and the days dull and grey. The endless country roads they were traveling didn't provide much to look at either but at the very least they started to come closer to their desired destination which was a vague one at best anyway. The ocean, he had told Diego and he left it to him to decide which one or where to go. Running away during summer time would have been preferred and probably much more romantic. Sleeping naked under the stars with Diego in a meadow like hippies. Of course, they could very well sleep naked under the stars in a meadow now too but only if they desired to die of hypothermia.

Then again, nothing they ever did seemed in the flavor of being romantic and perhaps that was okay too. Their lives were fucked up anyway so dreaming of some sort of a romantic getaway seemed stupid, to begin with. Perhaps that was just his anxiety-riddled brain talking. The withdrawal didn't exactly help in this regard either. Or the man in their backseat bitching about the teenagers that had stolen his beloved old car. Klaus tried to drown him out with music. Of course, he had packed his favorite mixtapes for the trip and though Diego rolled his eyes over some of them, he never switched the music off.

Klaus was resting with his head on Diego's right thigh listening to one the songs he had forgotten a long time ago, feeling the vibrations of the road even though Diego’s body acted as a buffer.

»We need to get gas soon.« Diego muttered over the music. A part of him felt guilty that he couldn't offer his boyfriend to take over once in a while but he felt safe with Diego behind the wheel. »And food. We should probably stay away as much as possible from diners like the last one. Just in case Dad is on the hunt for us.«

»You’re probably right.« Klaus huffed even though he didn't think that their dad was searching for them. Well, not for _them_ but certainly for Diego. He probably still thought that he could turn Diego around and make him his perfect killing machine.

»How’re you feeling?« By now, Diego seemed comfortable with this arrangement they had here; him driving with one hand and resting his right hand on Klaus’ head to brush his fingers through his curls.

»Peachy.« He wanted to hit the clubs with Diego, wanted to just dance the night away on the soft pillow of the drug-induced clouds he used to float upon. Of course, he had given Diego a promise and he intended to stick to it. He would do anything for Diego even if he hated it.

»Mhm … I can tell.« Diego scoffed and glanced down on him. Klaus wondered if their relationship should feel a lot more awkward than it did. They hadn't exactly been raised as siblings and yet, the seven of them had built their own safety net of a family. And their little family might be fucked up in a lot of ways but it was what it was and Klaus found himself wondering if the way they had been raised and had been desperate for any kind of love had, in the end, led Diego and Klaus to form this kind of a bond instead of the same brotherly bond Klaus had shared with Ben. »Maybe you should try being honest with me once in a while.«

»Maybe I start that in a few days, Baby.«

»How about now?«

»Now? I would like waffles now.«

»So that you can puke better?« Diego sighed but it was said without malice. He was just worrying and Klaus didn't need Benny to tell him so as his other and very dead brother was currently staring out the backseat window, ignoring the whining of the dead owner of the car just the same as Klaus. »Don't act as if I would not notice it, Klaus. You are going through withdrawal and you are not feeling good. You need to be honest with me, Babe.«

With a sigh, he sat up slowly and leaned his head against Diego’s shoulder instead and gently brushed his right hand over Diego’s left cheek. The stubbles that framed Diego’s jaw tickled his fingertips lightly. He had learned that it helped him to get what he wanted when he would keep bodily contact with Diego. Poor Number Two was weak like that and Klaus not above using this knowledge to his advantage. »I feel like shit warmed up twice.« He then said as calmly as possible. »And I really would like to go dancing.«

»We will as soon as you are feeling better.«

»You hate dancing.«

»No, I don't. Not when it's with you at least.« Behind them, Ben let out a soft little groan. It wasn’t like their dead brother would be against their relationship. He just didn't want to see it. That was probably understandable. Klaus too wouldn't like to see Allison and Luther canoodling or Ben having a ghost girlfriend.  

»You really know how to make a girl feel special.«

They stopped at a gas station an hour later in the middle of nowhere and while Diego filled up Martha’s tank, Klaus went inside to buy food while he waited for Diego. They would stop to have coffee, that was the deal and if it meant keeping Diego happy he would drink gallons of this crap. He sat down at one of the less dirty round plastic tables inside the gas station after he had purchased a plastic bag worth of beef jerky and those protein bars Diego loved so much and, of course, two cups of crappy gas station coffees. The red leather of the barstools was already half destroyed by thousands of heavy trucker asses over the course of the last few years.

From his position, he was in the line of sight of the door and the counter so that Diego would see him right away when walking in. A benefit of his seat was also that he could see the small black and white TV over the counter that served as entertainment for the cashier during the slower hours of the day which were, judging by the remote location of the gas station, plentiful. He doubted that even truckers regularly found their way to this place and wondered how it kept afloat.

Diego walked in just a few minutes after Klaus had sat down at the table and made a beeline for him. He looked tired but he was adamant to sleep as little as possible and drive through the nights to get as far away as they could from dad. Come to think of it, Klaus had never paused to think if Diego might be just as afraid of the old grouch as he was. After all, Dad’s fondness of the cane was legendary and Klaus had not been the only one on the receiving end of those punishments the old man liked to dish out every now and then.  

»We’re good to go for at least the next couple hundred miles now.« Diego huffed as he took a sip from his boiling hot coffee. »If we keep it up like this, we’ll be across state lines tonight and then it's only  one or two days until we can stop at the ocean.«

»So where are we headed even?«

»I don't know.« Diego shrugged. »California? Mexico? Where do you want to go?«

»Sin City?« He grinned playfully and Diego rolled his eyes but didn't disagree as he huffed a small laugh.

»Las Vegas it is, Baby. We could try and get rich in the casinos.«

»Or we could settle in San Francisco.« Klaus smiled. »I guess it's nice there? We could go visit Alcatraz … No, scratch that. Bad idea.«

»I don't care where we are going.« Diego shrugged. »As long as we stick together.«

»Or we just stay on the road, stop here and there to work and then buy a cool caravan that we are making our home.« Diego actually met his words with a fond little smile. Even he had to agree that this idea sounded kinda nice, he guessed. Just the two of them against the rest of the world. They didn't need a fancy house and they didn't need their father’s money either. They were simple boys with simple needs.

»I love that idea.« Diego sighed and took his hand that was resting on top of the table. They were careful in public because people were assholes in general and probably not too happy to see two gay teens being cute with each other out in the open. Usually, Klaus wouldn't care. He had been beaten up because of his orientation numerous times in the past but he didn't want Diego to make the same experiences as he had.

A comfortable sort of silence settled over them as they drank their coffee in peace and Klaus’ eyes were drawn back to the TV above the counter. The local news just started and Klaus almost dropped his coffee as two very familiar faces appeared on screen for a few moments now. »Oh fuck me sideways.« He muttered and immediately prompted Diego to turn around and look at the TV too. His brother lost at least three shades of color to his face immediately as they stared in shock and awe at the photos of them up on the screen.

 _»The police started a nationwide search for the two missing Hargreeves’ boys Diego and Klaus on Wednesday evening after the teenagers didn't return home from a trip to the local arts and science museum.«_ The news anchor, a well-put-together young woman with red hair and a hideous pink dress said with concern written all over her face. _»The boys are seventeen years old, both of them stand at ca. 5’9 feet tall. Diego Hargreeves has black hair and brown eyes. He also has a prominent scar on the right side of his face beginning just over his ear and is of Mexican descent.«_

Their photos remained on the screen just to the side of the poor lady the entire time as she spoke.

_»Klaus Hargreeves has dark brown hair and green eyes and is of Caucasian descent. The teenagers were expected home on Wednesday evening at six PM and never showed up since then. Due to Sir Reginald Hargreeves immense wealth and influence, the police considers a possible kidnapping although no one came forward yet. We will now broadcast a message of Sir Reginald Hargreeves, the adopted father of the two missing boys.«_

They exchanged a small glance with each other. Their father had actually reported them missing and started a nationwide search for them? He could feel his stomach drop at that. His sudden nausea could be attributed to his withdrawal but as he saw his father’s face on TV, he was ready to puke all over the dirty table.

Reginald stood in front of the academy with Luther, Allison, and Vanya dressed in their uniforms behind them. It was a pitiful image of the once strong academy. Out of the seven children that he had once stolen and bought from traumatized women all over the globe, Sir Reginald only had three left now. Pathetic.

 _»This is a message to my two beloved sons Klaus and Diego.« Again they shared a look. Their father rarely used the names Mom had given them. Hearing them out of his mouth was strange. »Or to the individuals responsible for their disappearance. I implore you to come back home or to give them back safely if you have taken them against their will. Our family has suffered great losses in the past, which is why I offer a reward of five-hundred-thousand dollars to whoever brings back my sons to me.«_ His father was bad at faking emotions but the press or the people in front of the televisions around the state didn't know this. They didn't know the man behind the monocle, didn't see the monster he truly was. And, frankly, they wouldn't care either. Not with the promise of half a million dollar echoing through their heads. _»Klaus, Diego, please do come home. Your siblings and I miss you very much and would be devastated if we would lose any of you.«_

Allison was good at fake crying and so she did prominently in the back while Vanya looked just like a deer in the headlights. To strangers, she looked just scared for her missing brothers and not scared of the man they had to call their father. And Luther … he just looked immensely uncomfortable and couldn't even hold eye contact with the camera as he usually would.

»We have to go.« Diego suddenly said as he jumped from his chair. It was then that Klaus realized how the cashier was staring at them with wide eyes. It was as if their father had now put a price tag on them and everyone would be eager to deliver them back home. Sleazy bastard. Diego never let go of Klaus’ hand as Klaus grabbed his plastic bag and rushed out of the gas station with the other teenager. Of course, the cashier started to run after them but they were quicker as he was, even in as bad a condition as Klaus was in, he could run like a madman now.

They jumped into the car just before the cashier could catch up with them and Diego floored it. That seemed to become a theme already so early on in their career as runaways. If he would have known that they would escape like this, he would have robbed the cash register.

»Fuck!« Diego groaned and hit the steering wheel with his fists as he rushed down the intersection to get as far away as possible from the gas station. If the cashier had seen their license plate they would be double fucked, Klaus guessed. »Fuck, fuck, fuck!«

»Diego … Diego, calm down.« He tried even though his own heart was racing. Now that the entire nation knew about them, it would just be a matter of time until someone would manage to catch them and send them back. They were now America's most wanted and the worst part about it was just that the people who would hunt them would even think that they were doing something good for them and their family. Sure, they could tell anyone who would catch them the truth, could even talk to the press and tell them how their father had abused them all their lives but Klaus was not nearly naive enough to believe that this would change anything.

»Calm down? Have you not seen what he did? He put out a bounty on our heads pretty much! We will not be able to do anything or go anywhere! We are fucked, Klaus!«

»I know!« He yelled back out of instinct more than anything else. »I know but what do you wanna do now? Freak out some more? Or do you wanna go back home? Because I sure as hell will not set a foot in this house ever again! I am done getting locked up in a fucking mausoleum!«

Fuck.

Diego’s face drained even more of color as he looked at him with wide eyes next. »He did … what? What do you mean? What mausoleum?«

»Oh … nothing.« He mumbled quickly and ignored Ben’s scoff from the backseat. »Just forget about it.«

»No, no I’m not forgetting about it.« Diego shot back. »Tell me the truth, Klaus. What do you mean?«

Klaus bit his bottom lip and sunk deeper into his seat instead of answering right away.

»Tell him.« Ben urged. It was still odd to have his other favorite brother with him here in this car. Ben had first shown himself to Klaus right after he died and then it had taken a while until he had shown up again in the middle of the night at the foot of Klaus’ bed. Thankfully the second time around, he had not been covered in grime and blood any longer. »If you really want to do this with him and if you really love Diego like this, you have to tell him the truth, Klaus.«

Of course, that was easier said than done and Klaus didn't know how to even start this conversation. »Dad … He-« He bit his lip again and took another deep breath. »Remember how he took me away for _special training_ here and there?« He made mocking little air quotes as he referred to his training but he couldn't force the humor back in his voice. Sobriety was so exhausting. There was a barely noticeable nod in response from Diego. »He took me to the graveyard nearby and locked me into a mausoleum. He locked me up for hours and hours, sometimes days.«

»Did he do that after he caught us?«

»Yeah.« Klaus shrugged. »After the beating, he took me back out there and when I tried to fight back he just … He kicked me until I would stop resisting and left me there without food and water until he got me out and brought me back.«

»I’m gonna kill him!« Diego erupted and slammed his foot on the breaks after steering the car to the side of the road. Thankfully there wasn't much traffic now. He couldn't stop Diego from getting out of the car in his rage and threw only an alarmed glance at Ben in the backseat but Ben only gave him a sad little smile in return.

»I shouldn't have told him, Ben.« He sighed as he pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes. He was craving some sort of high. He was craving weed or alcohol or, preferably, something much stronger than this to take the edge off. He was terrified. Terrified, yes. »I shouldn't have told him. That was a bad idea.«

»You promised him something, remember?« Ben sighed and put his ghostly hand on his shoulder. Klaus felt the cold of Ben’s touch seep through his jacket and hoodie straight into his skin. »If you guys want to start a life together you need to tell him everything, Klaus. _Everything._  He deserves the truth.«

»I can't … I can't do that, Benji.« He breathed and suddenly he felt as if his throat was being tied shut. Because Diego was right, it was just a matter of time until someone would catch them and there was no telling what his father might do to them if he would ever get them back. He couldn't breathe just thinking about the academy. He curled up on himself and put his head between his knees as he pretty much folded himself in half.

»Breathe, Klaus. Come on.« Benny knew him too well. He knew, he could tell, when his brother would have another one of his panic attacks. He had always known that even when he had still been alive.

»I can't, Benny … I can't go back there … I can't breathe.«  And their father would try to get between Diego and him. He would pit them against each other, force them to hurt each other, force them apart by any means possible. »I’m gonna die when I have to go back.« He whispered into his knees. »I can't do this, I can't.«

He didn't hear Diego coming back over the staccato of his heart. Only when Diego fell back into the driver’s seat and put a cold hand on the back of his neck, he realized that he came back to him. There were no words exchanged as Diego switched the music back on and neither as Diego pulled Klaus back into a sitting position or even as Diego pulled him against his chest and wrapped his arms tightly around his back.

»I will not let anyone ever hurt you again.« He whispered into his left ear. »And I will kill the old man if I ever see him again.« It was a promise just between them. It was not just some random rambling. This was serious and he knew that Diego would go through with that if it ever came to it. Maybe the thought should scare him but it didn't.

※※※※※※※

They were all walking on eggshells around their father these days. More than usual even. Ever since Diego and Klaus had escaped the academy, the atmosphere was strange and strained. Their father’s grip on his remaining three children had become even stronger and now neither one of them was allowed out of the house for any reason. He had expected this, of course. His father was not known to be a very forgiving or compassionate person, after all. He was enraged because of the disappearance of two of his kids.

»I can't believe they actually ran away together.« Allison whispered over the book she was reading and the glance she threw him spoke volumes. Was she fantasizing about running away like their brothers had? She was wearing the locket Luther had given to her years ago around her beautiful long neck again these days and every time he would catch a glimpse of it, his heart would beat a little faster.

Of course, he could never leave his father behind like this. Not like Diego and Klaus had. »Yeah…« He muttered as silently as he could. »Me neither.« He had seen how bad Klaus had looked when he came back to the house after his punishment. It was true that their father had always been pitting them against each other but when he had seen Klaus that day, something inside of him had just broken apart. Despite everything, he still loved every single one of his siblings and seeing Klaus like this … He couldn't stand it.

And as Diego had come to him for help and told him the plan he and Klaus had come up with … He hadn't thought twice about helping the brother he was so often at odds with. He could have ratted them out. He could have betrayed them. And for a brief moment, after he had entered his father's office that night to distract him from the monitors, he had considered it. Yet, he hadn't. Diego had been so desperate as he had come to him of all people for help and Luther had seen the way Klaus behaved and would look ever since that god-awful night. If he wouldn't have helped them, Luther was sure that he would have lost yet another sibling. Either because Klaus would have run away forever and got lost in a world of drugs and prostitution or because he would have killed himself. There was no happy ending for two of his brothers to be hoped for in this house.

And although he had wanted them here by his side, he much rather knew that they were alive and happy out there instead of miserable or dead in here.

As he looked at Allison again, he could tell that she knew something she wasn't saying. Did she know that Luther had helped them? »Do you think they are okay?«

»They will be.« He said but they both knew that this was just wishful thinking. Their father had just stood in front of a camera with them to deliver a message to the whole country and put a price tag on his two runaway sons. It was just a matter of time until they would be dragged back into the house and when this would happen … Luther didn't like to think about that. He couldn't lose another one of his siblings. That was all he knew.

※※※※※※※

The beach was pretty much abandoned by the locals of the small fisher town as they reached it. They had only stopped at night in forested areas to sleep huddled together in the back of their car for the last three days. Ever since that message their father had produced for the news had first broadcasted, tensions were high and Klaus in the thick of his withdrawal.

He wouldn't say anything but Diego could see in how much pain his brother was at this point. He couldn't keep anything down let alone chew anything, saying that everything tasted sour or like cardboard. His taste buds were completely going nuts as it seemed. He was either too hot or too cold, shivering like he was out in a blizzard. He couldn't stand being close to Diego or to be touched by him in any way and yet he would seek out his warmth when the pain got too bad.

Being patient with someone who was going through hell like this was not easy at all. Klaus was grinding his gears. He was bitchy and tight-lipped. Everything was either too loud or too quiet, too much or too little. Nothing was ever just enough or just right. He was a complete mess. Covered in sweat from head to toe, his hair a greasy curly mess on top of his head. His skin looked like candle wax and his eyes were wild with dark circles underneath.

He looked the worst he had ever been and yet, Diego just clenched his jaw when Klaus would throw some insult at his face or demanded Diego to let him out of the car to do his own shit. Diego hardly slept because he was too afraid that Klaus wouldn't be there any longer when he would wake up and that, in turn, made him be in a sour mood all day long too. That Klaus was talking to someone only he could see sitting in the backseat didn't help.

For the first time in almost three days, Klaus had fallen asleep against the window only an hour before they reached their destination for the night. Diego found a spot where he could park right at the beach in the middle of nowhere with no houses or other buildings in sight that might see their car. He got out without waking Klaus to stretch and breathe in the crisp salty air. They had never been to the beach before, never seen the ocean with their own eyes. The sun was still up but barely so. It was only a matter of minutes now until it would descend into the water for the day. He could already see the moon on the sky, taking over for the night.

It was cold but not unbearably so and, at the very least, they would be able to make a small bonfire out here. No one would see it or disturb them. He felt sorry as he got back into the car a moment later and drove his fingers gently over Klaus’ cheek to wake him up. Unlike Diego, Klaus did not seem to have a problem with stubbles or shaving. Of course, that could still change but even after days on the road, Klaus’ face was smooth and tender while Diego started to look like a caveman. Not that Klaus seemed to mind. In fact, he seemed rather interested in Diego’s bearded face as of late.

»Klaus…« He muttered softly as not to startle him, brushing his fingers carefully through his curls instead. »Klaus, wake up, we’re here.«

At first, there was just a grunt coming from the other boy but then his eyelids fluttered open slowly. »What?« He mumbled almost incoherently, slurring his words almost as if he was drunk. »Where?«

Instead of saying it, Diego just pointed out of the windshield with a small smile as he watched realization dawn on Klaus’ pretty face. And, as Klaus finally got it, he all but scrambled out of his door to stumble forward.

Diego didn't stop Klaus as he brushed off his sneakers and socks to feel the sand between his toes. He got out of the car again and quickly gathered the blankets from the trunk to follow Klaus down the beach. He placed the blankets down on the sand as he found a nice enough spot just as Klaus reached the shoreline and jumped back from the certainly cold water with a small yelp before a laugh tore from his throat at his own stupid surprise.

He couldn't help but smile at this reaction of his brother. He was happy to see Klaus actually being able to smile and find joy in the moment despite the pain he was in. So, slowly, Diego stripped off his boots and socks and followed Klaus to the shore to stand in the cold water and allow it to wash over his feet. It was freezing cold and yet he couldn't help but feel the desire to jump right in and wash off the sweat and grime on his body.

Klaus, on the other hand, didn't seem bothered by the cold as he stripped off his hoodie and shirt and threw both into the sand before he opened his jeans.

»What are you doing?«

»What does it look like?« Klaus huffed. »I’m going in!«

»It's too cold!« Diego scolded. »You're gonna catch a cold!«

»Oh come on, don't you want me to be less stinky and disgusting?« Klaus huffed and Diego knew that he wouldn't be able to stop him anyway. Instead of trying to, Diego pulled his own hoodie over his head with a sigh, forcing a grin from Klaus as he shimmied out of his tight jeans. At least, Diego thought as he watched Klaus strip completely and walk into the water, he was not a sissy about the cold.

He hesitated a little after he followed Klaus example and got naked but, in the end, he refused to be any less cool than his brother as he followed him into the cold water. It bit into his skin, almost burned him with its harshness and the wind that was ripping at his hair only made it worse. And yet, Diego still jumped in and dove into the water just like Klaus. It felt heavenly despite the cold. It was freeing like finally being able to breathe for the first time in seventeen years. No restriction, no one locking them into a dusty museum of a house, no rules, no Mr. Karlson, no training, no boundaries. Just them, the cold water, a clear sky and the opportunity to go wherever they wanted.

Klaus was shivering worse than before their little dip into the water almost half an hour later as he sat huddled in their numerous blankets on the picnic blanket that they had found in the back of the car. After getting dressed again, Diego felt awesome. He felt fresh and clean and warm enough. Klaus, of course, had a much harder time and even pulled the hood of Ben’s old hoodie over his curly head while Diego was setting up a little campfire. Finding stones and dry enough driftwood had been easy enough for this purpose.

»I’m sorry.« Klaus said after a while with chattering teeth. »That I am such a mess.«

Almost Diego's heart broke at those words as he finished setting up the campfire and lit it with a few matches from his pocket. He had picked this matchbox up at one of the gas stations along the way and now it finally came in handy. It took a moment for the fire to start eating at the driftwood but eventually, it did after Diego gently blew into the flame to encourage it. The wind had lessened a little and by now the sun was almost completely swallowed by the sea.

»It's okay.« He sighed and sat down beside Klaus. This time he didn't hesitate to pull him into his arms and Klaus melted right into the embrace. »We’ll get through this.«

That was the wish he uttered to the stars as they started to appear above their heads anyway. Klaus was now in the worst of his withdrawal and his fight against his addiction but that only meant that he would get better from here on. Diego was proud that Klaus was so strong and fearless to go through with this and he felt honored to be there along the way with him no matter how hard and exhausting it truly was.

This night they really slept underneath the stars as they huddled together next to the fire underneath their blankets. It was cold and hard, this life on the road but with Klaus, he could do this, he thought as he later fell asleep to the sound of the waves crashing against the shoreline. With Klaus by his side, he would be able to do anything.

 

**-End of Chapter 4-**


	5. Chapter 5

Living on the road had its perks. It was an adventure. Just the two of them against the rest of the world. Living on the road had its downsides as well, though as it was, in fact, just the two of them against the rest of the world. It was a blessing and a curse at the same time. Getting into fights with the person you love was easy enough on a normal day to day basis but when it was just the two of them with nothing else to do but the empty road ahead, it could be grueling. Other couples might break apart from that. They, however, had still the benefit of having grown up together. Thus, they knew exactly which buttons to press, of course, but they also knew exactly which line not to cross.

By now, the nights they would spend in the back of their car were freezing cold. The initial romance and novelty, the thrill of sleeping somewhere in the woods or under a blanket of stars had worn off quickly after ice started to settle all around them for the first time. By now, it was December and sometimes they could afford to spend a few hours at some crappy roadside motel. Most times, they didn't have another choice but to sleep in their car, though.

They were doing odd jobs along the way but that barely provided them with enough money for food and gas most of the time. It wasn't easy and yet, Diego Hargreeves had never felt better about himself. They were free at last and that mattered more to him than anything else. He didn't need fancy clothes or a fancy home. He didn't need the restraints that came with the immense wealth their adopted father had accumulated over his lifetime. For some people such immense riches and power were probably desirable but growing up surrounded by it, one was quick to realize that money and power were just fancier cages.  

They had been birds with their wings clipped, locked behind the gilded bars of their cages. Rich, yes, but prisoners nonetheless. And Diego, for his part, was much rather poor and free than rich and locked up.

The moan that Klaus managed to tear from his throat certainly underlined his pleasure of being on the road with the other teenager. It was not new to Diego that Klaus’ libido was pretty much hyperactive and since he had gotten sober this only seemed to have increased drastically. Not that Diego would complain though. Instead, he’d rather wove his fingers into Klaus’ thick curls encouragingly. They had started to grow out a bit more and needed a trim just as desperately as Diego’s own hair now.

Klaus licked his way up Diego’s length, from base to tip as he placed one hand firmly on Diego’s hip to keep him from moving, even though due to his current task there was not much moving anyway in the realm of possibilities for Diego, as Klaus grabbed the base of his erection firmly with his other hand. Focusing on the road ahead was getting increasingly harder. Thankfully, it was a slow day and the country roads almost deserted except for the occasional truck or lone traveler on their way to or from work. Outside the tiny world of their car, the world was peaceful and somber. The trees alongside the roads had shaken off all their leaves and the sky was of a nearly constant steal grey as it threatened them with the first major snowfalls of this winter.

He heard Klaus take a deep breath while he tried to keep his eyes on the road just before he circled his tongue around the plush tip of Diego's cock. Klaus suckled almost experimentally on the tip, tasting and getting a feel for it on his tongue before groaning in approval and taking as much of the length as possible into his mouth.

Diego took his eyes off the road just briefly to watch with widening eyes, lips parting as Klaus' mouth stretched over him. It was the most fucking glorious thing he’d ever seen, the wet, pale upper lip, dimples creasing Klaus' cheeks. The brows got him more than anything,  all furrowed and studious, their worried little center all ruffled up.

Klaus let his hand glide from Diego's hip and down his thigh, gripping him just above his knee as he made wet, slick sounds as he sucked on Diego's cock with new found excitement as if it would be the first time he would do it.

»Klaus« Diego sat up a bit straighter in his seat as he tried to focus on the world outside so that he would not total their car and get them into a rather uncomfortable position. »Stop I ... I’m really close.« His voice was dark, panting and rasping as he tugged on Klaus' hair with his right hand.

Klaus pulled off for a split second, but only enough to mumble out an »I'm not stopping, you can just come in my mouth« through swollen lips before wrapping them back around the head of his adopted brother's throbbing cock. Number Four brushed his palms over Diego's balls and then cupped them lightly as he began bobbing his head, green eyes glancing up at Diego as he smirked around the girth. Fucking bastard. He knew exactly what he was doing to Diego with a look like this.

Diego was not going to argue with his lover, fingers tightening in Klaus' hair, holding him down as Diego’s body locked and arched, still sitting upright as he choked off a gasp, cum filling his brother’s mouth. The knuckles of his left hand turned white as he tightened his grip around the steering wheel and the shuddering moan escaping his throat was a secret shared only by the two of them.

»Fuck, Klaus…« He groaned as Klaus sat up straight. He could hardly tear his eyes from him, watching mesmerized how Klaus swallowed all that Diego had to offer him. His Adam's apple bopped in the most delicious way that almost prompted Diego to pull over and throw him in the back of the car to have his way with him. Klaus had the audacity to grin wickedly at him as he licked the few stray drops of Diego’s release from his lips before reaching over and tucking him back into his pants so that Diego could leave his hands dutifully on the steering wheel. The gloomy and grey December day suddenly seemed much clearer and brighter as thick clouds were lazily moving across the sky.

»What?« Klaus grinned in the most innocent way someone who had just had their adopted brother’s cock deep down their throat could possibly muster. Before Diego knew it, Klaus’ head rested on his shoulder and Diego couldn't help but wrap his arm around him. His heart was still racing, the adrenaline rushing through his body.

»One day we’ll get in an accident because of you and your shenanigans.« Diego sighed contentedly and pressed a small kiss to the crown of Klaus’ head. Not that he would truly be disgruntled with his boyfriend. How could he be after something like this? »And then you’ll get to explain to the nice policemen why we ended up in a ditch, jammed into our car with your mouth around my cock.«

»And how will I be able to explain if I have your cock in my mouth?«

»You’ll find a way.«

»Well, as long as I’m not accidentally biting it off in that very unlikely scenario, I’ll be okay explaining this to some poor cop or paramedic.« He chuckled quietly. »Then again, I think if we get into such a scenario, I doubt that there will be much of an explanation required from my part.«  

»You’ll be the death of me.« His throat was still raw from the deep moans Klaus had been able to extract from him just a few seconds ago and his own laughter sounded dry and husky to his own ears.

»At least I would still be able to see you.« Klaus laughed quietly.

»I would haunt the shit out of you.«

»Such a romantic.« The kiss that Klaus pressed to his right cheek was sweet as honey and would almost betray what had happened in this very car just now. Klaus had this odd talent to seem completely chaste and innocent, sweet and carefree. One moment he could be sucking his cock or riding him as if he had a lifetime of experience in that field and the next moment he would behave as if he wouldn't know that such a thing as sex even existed.  Klaus had always been a person of contradictions, Diego supposed. He enjoyed quietude but he couldn't stand the quiet. He was always bubbly and loud, always grading on being a little too much to be around and couldn't stand being alone, couldn't stand being pushed to the side. Always screaming for attention and yet shying away from it when he got it.

Sometime in the past, Diego hadn't even been sure what the real Klaus Hargreeves was like. Everyone in their family had seen a different Klaus, a different side of their macabre brother. It was sometimes hard to know him, hard to figure him out. Diego, however, was sure nowadays that he did know the true Klaus. At least the parts Klaus was willing to show him.

They stopped in a small town somewhere in South Dakota when most people of the town were currently enjoying their lunch breaks. As they drove down the dusty main street they could see a couple of students that were either skipping school or released early. Not that either one of them had experience with normal schools. The little town seemed quite nice with a few buildings that had survived since the Victorian era and beautifully decorated corner shops.

It was a nice sunny winter day as Diego skillfully parked Martha in a narrow parking spot right in front of a bakery. There were Christmas lights everywhere and not a single shop window that was not filled to the brim with ugly little nutcrackers or Santa Claus figures. It was true that the Hargreeves children never quite got to experience Christmas like this but looking at all this kitsch, Diego didn't know if they should be thankful for that or not.

»So what's the plan?« Klaus smiled after both of them had gotten out of the car. His brother stretched luxuriously like a cat in the warm rays of the sunlight before he leaned against the hood of their car. He was gorgeous with his tousled curls and his pale skin as his sparkling green eyes directed their gaze onto Diego next.

Klaus had this way of looking at people that made them feel like they were the only person of any importance in the world to Klaus. That was definitely just one aspect of why Diego had fallen for the other boy despite all the odds stacked against them. Whenever Klaus looked at him like he did now, Diego would feel like his stomach was doing somersaults or as if he would lose the ground under his feet.  

»We need money for gas.« Diego sighed, ripping himself out of his daydream.

Of course, they could have already made it down to San Francisco by now if they had powered through but since they didn't have any money they needed to stop at least every two days to make enough money for food and gas. Not to mention that being on the road so long was exhausting and they had all the time in the world so nothing kept them from stopping at famous sides or national parks along the way. He really loved traveling with Klaus even though Number Four was still struggling quite badly with his sobriety. Well, then again, he was doing great, right? He was one month sober, after all. That was a huge step forward.

»And food.« Klaus echoed Diego’s previous sigh. »We have only one of your disgusting protein bars left.« Klaus added with a small snicker and a wink that only prompted Diego to roll his eyes softly. »And it would be nice to have actual food again in my stomach.«

Which was another huge step forward. Klaus could finally eat like a real person again without hurling it all onto the floor just an hour later. Progress. One day at a time. »Okay.« He smiled as he took a deep breath of the crisp December air and allowed it to tingle in his lungs.

Christmas was right around the corner and it would probably soon start snowing. The clouds, though rare today, already held dark promised of future blizzards to come. They needed to find a place where they might be able to stay for a while if it would get as bad as the last few winters. They wouldn't be able to afford to stay at some motel for a few days at a time though. »Let's split up and make some money. We meet back here again at six, okay?«

Klaus gave him a mock little salute. He wouldn't be Klaus, though, if he would be bothered by the strangers around them as he walked over to Diego to steal at least one small kiss from his lips. It was meant for good luck and Diego always felt like he was missing something if he wouldn't get a peck from his boyfriend before they parted ways. Showing their affections for one another was always a little dangerous, though. Especially in small towns like this one. Some people didn't react too kindly towards two boys kissing or holding hands in public. And while Diego wasn’t afraid of anything to happen to him, his concerns lay with Klaus. Klaus who never knew when to shut his mouth or back down from an argument.

»Take care.« Diego muttered softly against Klaus’ lips before the other boy stepped back and just grinned, waving his goodbye hand at him and then hurrying off down the road. He watched after him as Klaus disappeared down the road. Usually, Klaus managed to bring back the most of the money they needed because he could charm the socks off of pretty much anyone - especially old ladies were taking a liking to him, though. Diego, on the other hand, usually made do with stupid circus tricks or helping out at markets or anywhere where his strengths could be needed. So, the local market was exactly where he was headed now.

He was lucky as he actually found a market stand of an elderly lady who could use his help after her nephew, who usually helped her, fell ill the other day. Working for her was a blast and Diego actually enjoyed screaming his lungs out for customers or carrying around the heavy wooden boxes of fruits and vegetables for her. As the day drew to a close and the sun started to sink on the horizon, the woman gave him fifty bucks and a chocolate cupcake as thanks and offered him to come back the next day.

As he slowly made his way back to the car, he considered her offer. What would be so bad about staying in town for a bit and helping her until her nephew could take over again? Maybe he should talk about it with Klaus, he thought. Maybe they could settle for a little while. Of course, fifty bucks might not be much for many other people but for the two of them, it meant the worlds. So far, the town seemed pretty nice and the people friendly enough. Wouldn't it be nice to spend a few days or weeks here?

Then again, there was always the risk of getting recognized and ratted out to their father if they would stay for too long a time at one place. The threat of their father was always hanging over their heads - that was just something they had to get used to. They avoided listening to the news because of that, ever since the last time they had heard Reginald’s voice on the radio, pleading for his sons to come back home or to be returned home. Klaus reacted a lot worse to his father’s little speeches on the radio or TV than Diego and that shouldn’t come as a surprise either.

He had told him about the mausoleum, of course, and Diego knew that of all his siblings Klaus had been the most frequent recipient of his father’s rage in the form of beatings. Yet, Diego would never claim to know or understand the full extent of what Klaus had gone through in that house. What he did know, though, was that Klaus was tormented by nightmares nearly every night. At least it seemed to calm him down when Diego would just brush his fingers through his hair. The ghosts had come back with fervor as well. On the road, it seemed easier for Klaus to get through their torment. Fewer ghosts around that had the chance of realizing that Klaus could see them. In little towns as old as this one right here, it had to be a lot worse.

It was this thought that made Diego pause shortly as he reached a small supermarket. A small glance at the clocktower of the nearby church told Diego that he still had half an hour left until he would meet up with Klaus again. So, without another thought, he hurried quickly into the shop and started rummaging the aisles, buying everything they could need in terms of food for now and a stupid little candle shaped in the form of a 1. Klaus would probably find this stupid but knowing his brother, he would just laugh about it and roll with it as he always did. That was one thing he loved so much about the Seancé. No matter what life could throw at Klaus, he just went with it and made it his own no matter what kind of bullshit came his way.

He was not a positive person - not by a long shot - and Diego would never make the mistake of underestimating the demons hiding beneath the pretty face but at least he still somehow managed to enjoy his life. More so now that they were free and out in the world at last.

As he returned to Martha, she was still sitting where they had left her and Klaus was nowhere to be seen yet. So, Diego got in the car and stuck the candle into the cupcake and put the cupcake on the dashboard to wait for his brother in the warm serenity of his car.

Six PM came and went by without Klaus showing up to meet him but with snow starting to fall from the heavens. It wasn't unusual for Klaus to run late and yet, Diego couldn't help but worry every time his brother would be late to anything. With their father still searching for them, there was no way he would ever stay calm when Klaus wouldn't show up in time. The thought of his brother being captured and taken back to that house was always at the forefront of his mind, filling him with cold dread.

He waited for half an hour before he got out of the car again and started to head in the direction where Klaus had gone hours before. Klaus, much like Diego, usually searched for opportunities to be helpful. He possessed a decent amount of physical strength to help around small grocery stores or other places where a helping hand might be welcome. Usually, though, he looked for a specific type of store owners - namely middle-aged or elderly women he could charm.

From walking around the small town earlier this day he knew that there was a small tailor shop a bit further down the street that was owned by an old woman. He knew that Klaus had probably gone there first and so that was where he hurried. He started jogging down the sidewalk as he saw the owner of the tailor shop exiting the building and locking the door. She was a tiny little lady with steel grey hair that she wore in a nice little updo. Like any wise old lady, she was dressed for the cold weather in a certainly self-tailored beautiful blue coat and a soft looking matching blue scarf. Diego envied her a little for her attire. At least she was warm - which he couldn't say for himself. His own raincoat was no match for the cold of December and from here on out it would only get worse.

»Excuse me!« Diego called out to her as he came within earshot. »Excuse me, Madame!« He repeated as she didn't seem to realize that he was calling out for her at first. His second attempt promoted her to turn to look over her shoulder and slowly turn around to face him. She had a blue umbrella in her left hand that she was opening a moment later against the snow and a set of keys in her right hand.

At first, she seemed a little taken aback by his sudden approach. He was a stranger, after all. Furthermore, he was a stranger who was obviously of Latino heritage and he knew how well this shit would usually fly in small rural towns. So, he plastered his most friendly expression on his face and remembered the good manners he had been forced to learn all his life.

»Yes?« The old lady asked with one raised eyebrow and the way she eyed him didn't escape him. Well, he had seen better days. After all, he was living on the road out of a car. Still, he smiled at her worriedly.

»I’m sorry to disturb you, Madame.« He began calmly and stopped a few feet away from her so that she wouldn't possibly feel threatened by a young strange Mexican boy approaching her in the darkness of the early winter evening. »I am looking for my friend. We agreed to meet at six PM but he hasn’t shown up yet … We are in town looking for work for a few days until hitting the road again so I thought … Maybe he came to you? His name’s Klaus, he is-«

»Oh!« She chirped and her face suddenly lit up. Oh yes, she knew Klaus. He had this effect on cute little old ladies. »Oh, yes, Dear. Klaus was here. He helped me around the shop today, handled a few of my new customers and noted their measurements for me. He was such an angel to have around. He left at five, though. Said that he wanted to go buy a few groceries from the money I gave him for his work today.«

»He did?«

»Yes - Oh, you don't think something happened to him, do you?«

»No! No … He probably just wandered off and forgot the time. He is like this sometimes. Always has his head in the clouds.« He forced a small chuckle despite the dread settling in the pit of his stomach. Klaus had left this shop an hour ago and he hadn't yet shown up to meet Diego at the car. That couldn't be good. »He’ll probably show up soon. Thank you for your help.«

She nodded with a small smile and started to walk down the street, probably to her house while Diego remained rooted to the spot. All of this would be so much easier if any of them would possess a cell phone. They never got one at home because their father was not a friend of modern technology and they certainly didn't have the money to get two phones on their own.

For a moment he just stood there and pulled the hood of his raincoat over his head against the flurry. He wondered if Klaus might have gone to the same supermarket Diego had hit or if he had just told the old lady he would grab groceries. What if he had found someone to buy drugs from instead? That was the first thought that crossed his mind then and he hated himself for it. And even though he hated himself for having so little trust in his brother he knew that he had a good reason for it. This was Klaus, after all. He was doing great, yes, but Diego was not nearly naive enough to believe that he wouldn't relapse.

_He promised me, though._

That thought didn't really help.  Yes, Klaus had promised to stay away from the drugs but that was of little meaning now, right? Just as Diego was about to head back to the car, however, he noticed a man just a few feet away from him leaning against the corner of another shop and speaking in a hushed voice into the phone he was pressing to his right ear.

Diego couldn't see his face as it was obstructed by the shadow of the hood he had drawn over his head to protect his hair from the snow just like Diego. he was wearing a thick grey duffle coat and heavy steel capped boots. Just by the looks of them, they could be about the same size as Diego’s own worn down combat boots.

Usually, Diego wouldn't have thought much about the stranger but something about him drew his attention. Perhaps it was the years of training in the academy that made him a little more perceptive to certain tells of other people or maybe it was just a hunch he had. Either way, he sneaked closer just a little and acted as if he was walking down the street towards him before he stopped and crouched down to slowly tie his boots new. The stranger didn't even seem bothered by Diego’s presence.

»Yes!« The stranger whispered into his phone. »I am telling you, Jay! It's him, one of those Umbrella freaks! We are fucking rich, Dude! Caught the little bitch stealing shit from that shop I work at … No, listen- Just come over to the office, okay? I have the little shit waiting for me.«

Diego quickly got back to his feet and kept on walking past the stranger even though his heart was already hammering against his ribcage. This asshole had Klaus and would probably want to hand him over to Reggie soon for the money and Reggie, good old Dad of the year, wouldn't even care if Klaus would be alright and unscathed. Those guys could do whatever they wanted with Klaus before handing him over and that thought alone made his stomach turn.  

He remembered their first disastrous stop at that diner by the roadside. He remembered what Klaus said afterward. _Not his first rodeo_. His brother had never talked about it more than that and Diego hadn't had the stomach to ask. He was not naive though. A boy like Klaus … He had heard him climb out of his window so often in the night ever since they had hit puberty. And even then he hadn't been able to sleep imagining his beautiful brother out there in the night all by himself - like a diver jumping willingly into a pool of very hungry very angry sharks.  

Klaus could take care of himself. He knew that. That didn't mean he wasn't worried sick though. Still, he walked on to not wake the other guy's suspicion and kept his head down so that the man wouldn't see his face and possibly recognize him as one of the _umbrella freaks_ as well. As Diego had moved past him he was quick to slip into a narrow alley between a very pricy boutique and a haberdashery. In the shadows of the alley, he was pretty much invisible as the stranger walked back into the shop he had leaned against during his little phone conversation. It was actually a clothing store the guy seemed to work in and Diego was quick to follow him silently as a cat.

The stranger didn't lock the door behind him as he went back into his store now - after all, he expected his friend to come over as well - and so Diego had it easy to slip inside after him. The store was not that large and since the lamps were out already, Diego couldn't even quite tell what kind of clothing was lying around the various display tables or hung from the various rags. Not that he would care at the moment either.

He could see a slither of light though coming from underneath a door further down in the shop right next to the changing area. The door was labeled ‘Staff’ just as he had expected and Diego stopped shortly as he reached the cash register. He doubted that this guy had already had time to do the tally after his shift today and Diego had often enough helped out in stores now to know how to open a cash register. There was a security camera trained on the register, of course.

Still, Diego pulled his ratty old scarf over his mouth and nose and kept the hood down as he slowly crept over to the register. It was open. That idiot had really left it open. Klaus had probably distracted him from actually doing his work here. As he stood there in reach of a few hundred bucks - if not more - Diego hesitated. He was no thief. Unlike Klaus, Diego had never stooped so low as to steal and deep down he was angry with Klaus that he had actually tried to steal crap from this place. Of course, it was all too tempting to just reach in and steal a few hundred dollars - just enough for them to get by. He wouldn't take all of it. Just enough for them to sleep at a motel for a few nights perhaps.

Even after all of the shit that Reggie had done to them, his moral compass won out, though, and made Diego step back from the register quietly.

»Ow!« A voice cried out from behind the staff door. It wasn't Klaus. »You fucking bitch!«

The sound of something - or someone - being slammed into a wall made Diego jump back into action as he jumped over the counter the register stood on and made a beeline for the staff door. He could hear the sound of something crashing to the floor and another pained scream and then silence just as he reached the door and ripped it open with so much strength that he almost pulled it out of its hinges.

What he found inside the office behind the staff door, knocked the air out of his lungs at first before he regained some semblance of control over his mind and body again. Klaus stood in the middle of the brightly lit office panting heavily but standing triumphantly over the stranger in the grey coat. The man was lying on the ground on his side, his jeans unzipped and his dick hanging out quite ridiculously. He seemed unconscious and the shards of a broken vase next to his head on the ground in addition to a few wilted flowers and a bit of water spoke volumes of what Klaus had done.

»Klaus!« He called out for his brother and he only looked at him in surprise before a grin spread over his face.

»Oh, Diego! I know I’m late but this asshat over there wanted to call Reggie on me. He caught me-«

»Stealing shit! Yes, I know!« Diego growled as he took in the scene. Klaus looked completely unbothered and unharmed. The guy, on the other hand, had a bloody nose and what looked like a dislocated shoulder. »What the fuck, Klaus?«

»Well, he tried getting handsy.« Klaus shrugged, pointing almost a bit innocently at the man’s exposed genitalia. Diego had a hard time swallowing his disgust and fury at the sight. »He was easy to overwhelm after I got him to get his dick out.«

»What?«

»Not important, Dee. We should get going.« He already staggered over to him but then paused and hurried back to the desk where a few articles of clothing were lying in a heap. Klaus quickly grabbed them and shoved them in a plastic bag that was lying over one of the office chairs. He threw the bag at Diego who caught it only out of instinct before Klaus went back to the man and, unceremoniously, stripped him off his boots and his nice coat.

»What are you-«

»Less talking more stealing, Diego.«

»No, Klaus! I’m not stealing shit!«

»Then don't!« He groaned and flung the coat over his arm before making his way over to Diego and taking the plastic bag from him again. Without another word or look at that guy on the floor, Klaus walked out of the office and back into the store. Diego could only follow his reckless brother as he walked back to the entrance.

»Klaus- we can't- We are no thieves!«

»That guy would have raped me or beaten me and then sold me to daddy dearest who would have beaten me and locked me up then. I don't care that we are no thieves, Diego. Some people deserve it to be robbed. And, heck, this guy was more than ready to use my dire situation against me right now!« And with those words, Klaus actually reached into the register and grabbed a handful of hundred dollar bills before walking out as if it meant nothing at all. He didn't even seem to care for the security camera trained on the cash register.

Maybe he even wanted that everyone in America would know that one of the Umbrella kids was a thief just to mess with Reginald’s good reputation.  

The silence inside the car was thick and heavy. Just like the snowflakes falling from a starry sky as Diego drove down just one more deserted country road, forcing Martha ahead without mercy. Some soft sounding Jazz song was playing on the radio and Klaus was wrapped in one of their blankets and curled up on the bench next to him, his head resting against the window. After leaving the shop, they had hightailed it to their car and left the town behind in a cloud of dust before the police would find out about the robbery or about them.

»I stole the coat and the boots for you, y’know?« Klaus’ voice was silent and although Diego had known that he wasn't asleep, he was still surprised that Klaus would so soon break his vow of silence again.

»I don't want you to steal shit for me. I don't want you to steal shit at all.«

»Diego-« He took a deep sigh and extracted his head from the cold glass of the window to look at him instead. »I love you, but you are naive as fuck if you believe we can make it on our own to San Fran without breaking the law here and there. I get it. You don't want this. You are a good guy - I’m not. I don't care if I have to steal from assholes like this guy or not. I do what is necessary to survive. You don't need to - but don't be so naive, Diego. We are never going to make it through the winter like this. This is not some cute little romance novel, after all.«

He wouldn't have slammed on the brakes if the road wouldn't have been empty this late at night. But since it was, Diego brought the old car to a screeching halt in the middle of nowhere and the safe embrace of the dark of the night.

»Are you fucking shitting me right now?« Diego erupted as he turned to face his brother who looked at him like a deer caught in the headlights of a truck. He seemed honestly startled by either Diego’s outburst or how he stopped the car so suddenly. Maybe it was both. »I am naive? I thought we were a team, Klaus!«

»We are!« Klaus shot back right away. »And that's why I do the things you are not ready to do, Diego!«

»By stealing random shit?«

»By stealing some warm clothes for us to survive the fucking winter on the road because we can't afford to stay at a motel until the winter is over, Diego! By taking that asshole’s money so we can buy real food and not starve to death!«

»You mean by drawing unwanted attention towards us!« Again, Klaus jumped a little at the sheer volume of Diego’s voice. They only rarely yelled at each other but when they did … Well, they both had rather explosive tempers. »That guy was about to call our dear father and Reggie would have come right away to take you back because he knows that if he gets you back I will come back willingly because he knows I would never leave you alone like this!« Diego’s knuckles turned white as he grasped the steering wheel harder and forced himself to take a deep breath to steady himself. »And I can't- I c-can't go back t-there, Klaus. A-And I c-can't- c-can't have him t-taking you back there either.«

Klaus’ hands were always so cold even now as he brushed his fingers over Diego’s right cheek and scooted closer. He wanted to be mad and scream at him and have a full blown fight but Klaus was just so damn good at deflating him with so little effort. All he had to do was scoot closer to him and wrap his blanket around Diego’s shoulders. All he had to do was to put his head on Diego’s shoulder and take a deep, steadying breath with him.

»B-Before we l-left … It was easier t-to just i-ignore everything, you know?« Diego then mumbled as he slowly started driving again, cursing his stutter for how weak it made him sound. He wanted to be strong. He needed to be strong. A part of him, though, just wanted to fall apart right here and now and not move on. Stopping in the middle of the road like this was just too dangerous, though.

»B-Before we left, I thought ‘yes, Dad is torturing all of us - No big deal, right?’. I didn't know about the mausoleum then but I knew about the beatings and though I hated him for it … We were all beaten by him, right? Only the others … Luther, Allie, and Vanya … they became b-better at just submitting to his every will, right? And so they didn't get beaten as often. A-And I thought that it's no big deal. So what if he beats us? Every father beats his kids if they don't follow orders, right? A-And he never beat us so badly that we got scars from it - not until that night at least.«

Reginald had always been careful not to leave physical marks of his abuse behind on them for strangers to see. Their father’s last beating on Klaus, though, had left scars all over Klaus’ back. And every time he looked at them, he felt like he had failed him. He might as well have inflicted those wounds himself.

»A-And the beatings weren't even the worst anyway, I thought. But ever since we left … I can't just ignore everything else anymore, you know? It becomes hard to b-breathe sometimes. A-And when you … W-When I d-don't know where you are or if you are o-okay … I can't breathe. I g-get so a-afraid a-and angry. A-And you can't keep doing this t-to me, Klaus. N-Not you.«

»I’m sorry.« Klaus mumbled softly, cutting him off almost in a hurry, and his breath ghosted over Diego’s neck as he did. »I will be more careful from now on … but sometimes it gets so hard to deal with everything. I need to distract me from the ghosts and the urges and … and so I jump into stupid actions like this and then crap like this happens.«

»This guy … He could have fucking raped you, Klaus. That's no joke! He already had his fucking dick out!« And he wanted to drive back there and cut it off. They had grown up quite sheltered but not stupid or oblivious to the world. He had read more than enough stories about young boys or girls being forced to give sexual favors to adults who held power over them. And this guy … He had been ready to abuse his power and Klaus would have been helplessly overpowered if that guy’s friend had already been there.

»Well, because I told him to get it out.«

»What?« Diego would have almost slammed on the brakes again at that. Klaus’ hand on his cheek, however, was steadying and calming.

»After he caught me, he threatened me with the police first but then he recognized me and told me that he was going to call dad instead. So, he locked me in his office and left and when he came back ... I knew I had to get out and find you and I knew that I couldn't take him on just like this either. So instead I offered him a blowjob if he would let me go.«

»You- What?«

»Easy - I would have never done it, Babe.« Klaus chuckled. »I just acted the part. Guys like this are easy to play. I just had to act as if I would believe him when he said he would accept the deal. He thought he had the upper hand, that he would not only get his dick wet but get rich as well. So, I went down on my knees and fucking bit him.«

Diego let out a startled gasp. »What the fuck, Klaus.«

»He deserved it.« Klaus shrugged. »And he was so surprised and shocked that I had an easy time beating that shithead up. Diego, I know that type, okay? He probably abused vulnerable people all his life in some way and I knew that he would offer me some deal like this sooner or later. In taking advantage of that knowledge I was able to take the upper hand without him even realizing it.«

What was he supposed to say to this? He was angry that Klaus had put himself in so much danger. Had Diego not been there, all of this could have gotten horribly wrong and yet Klaus seemed unconcerned by this possibility. The way his brother looked at him though made all the anger disappear right away. Fuck.

»You asked me to promise you something when we started this journey.« Klaus then began quietly. »And I ask you to promise me something now too. You need to promise me that, if I ever get caught and sent back home, you will not follow me. You will keep running and I will find a way back to you somehow.«

His throat felt tight as he looked at his brother again and those hopeful green eyes. Klaus knew as well as Diego that he couldn't just promise him something as outrageous as that. Of course, Diego would come after him. Of course, he would not keep running. What good would his life in freedom be without Klaus anyway? How would he be able to sleep peacefully when he wouldn't even know what his brother was going through at that exact moment?

»There’s a cupcake for you.« Diego murmured instead and pointed at the dashboard. »I meant to … to light the candle when you would come to meet me, but … Well.«

Klaus reached over to grab the chocolate cupcake and looked in confusion at Diego after he took in the one-shaped candle. Diego knew that he wouldn't just let this promise slip away like this but they were both not always good in voicing their feelings - even to each other. They had never learned how to express their emotions, after all.

»Happy one month being clean, Sunshine.«

 

**-End of Chapter 5-**


	6. Chapter 6

The smell of fish was prominent in the air of the early Saturday morning as Klaus and Diego reached the small coastal town of New Bern in North Carolina. As they parked their car near the beach, the sun was just ascending on a magenta sky and Klaus breathed a sigh of relief. Being locked in that car for so long was always a struggle for him. Arriving somewhere just felt good and calming even though there were much more ghosts around than on the road. Already, he could see a few of them lingering about near the beach or the pier.

There was a woman in a long flowing dress with a noose around her neck standing near the old, washed-out wooden fence. She was staring out onto the sea while a seagull was flying lazy circles in the sky. He should better look away fast, otherwise, she might notice him and realize that he could see her and that was never fun. The only ghost he could live with was Ben and he was currently strolling over to the fence to have a look at the beach. It was a beautiful sight, really. White sand and endless dunes of crisp blue under a magenta sky. It was so early in the day that the small town was mostly still asleep and quiet but he could see a few fishermen getting ready to go out on their boats. A flock of seagulls was circling the water close to the pier and everything seemed nice and quiet for once.

»We should be good for a few days, I guess.« Diego smiled as he sat down heavily on the hood of the car. The ghost of her previous owner was starting to throw a fit inside the car. Well, he always was. He absolutely hated the two gay teens that had stolen his beloved car and called it Martha. Which didn't stop him from watching them fuck, though. Ben had at least the common decency to vanish whenever his brothers would start to go for it. Klaus slowly walked over to him just to stand between Diego’s legs and allow him to put his arms around his narrow shoulders leisurely.

»It's nice.« He replied with a smile before he pecked Diego on the lips just shortly. »I think I could manage a few days here.«

»Walk on the beach?« Diego grinned. »To get familiar with this place?«

By now they had their routine. Every time they came to a small town where they wanted to spend a few days, they would start walking around and scout the place to see where they might be able to find work. Of course, if they would be like Bonnie and Clyde, they would scout the place to see where they would be able to steal shit instead. But, by now, Klaus had resigned himself to the fact that his boyfriend was a goody-two-shoes behind his vigilante mask and knives.

So, Klaus took a step back and saluted dutifully. He would lie if his last stunt had not left a small dent in the road of their relationship. Yes, he had only meant to be helpful stealing those clothes - and they had helped, he might add - but he understood the grievances Diego had with him stealing too. Maybe he should have thought this one through a little more. Diego had been angry with him for days after they had been forced to leave that town and celebrated Christmas in their car somewhere on the highway.

It was still cold. Spring had not yet come and so he was quick to get his new yellow raincoat from the backseat together with the duffel coat he had stolen for Diego before he locked the car. Even Diego had admitted at one point that the duffel coat was nice against the cold. The added bonus to the coat had been the fact that its previous owner had had his wallet in one of the pockets. To Klaus, this came as an additional win and sign of the gods that he had done everything just right, Diego, however, had been mortified. He had, in fact, sent the wallet back via post just before they left the state. Of course, Klaus had at least taken the money that had been in it. They wouldn't be able to use the credit cards inside anyway without the risk of getting caught.

Finding someone who could make them a new key for Martha without asking too many questions had been quite easy too at the beginning of their little adventure and this raincoat he had found at the salvation army in the last town they had visited. Yellow was not exactly his color but it was nice and warm and that was really the most important thing to be considered under these circumstances. After seventeen years on this earth, Klaus Hargreeves had finally learned the true value of warm clothes without holes in them.  

After he got everything they needed out of the car, he gave Diego his coat and started walking. It didn't take long for the other teenager to catch up with him and take his hand only to shove both their linked hands into his coat pocket. »Your hands are always cold.« Diego mused quietly. Almost it would have sounded like an attack would it not have been for the gentle little smile tugging on the corners of Diego’s mouth. Before they had fallen for each other, Klaus had only ever seen this very smile directed at Mom. The day Diego had first looked at him with this same smile, Klaus had known that he was done for.  

»I’m a vessel for the spirit world … what do you expect?« Klaus huffed humorlessly.

It was true, after all. The dead were always around him even if it was just Ben sometimes. In the past few months, however, ever since they started this journey together, it had only gotten worse and worse. He was sober for four months now. Four whole months and no relapse. He couldn't deny that he was quite proud of himself but he was still cautious nonetheless. After all, Klaus knew better than anyone else how easy it was to give into the song of the temptress that was addiction. That he was only rarely alone without Diego helped, of course, and even when Diego wasn't with him, he had Ben to serve as his Jiminy Cricket. On the other hand, Klaus knew that it wasn't good to only rely on those two for guidance and help.

If he couldn't stay sober on his own, what good would it be then? And yet, he was sometimes helpless against the urges and the jittering. He was helpless against the trembling and the incessant _want_ screaming out inside of him for the sweet numbness of the nothingness that only the drugs could provide for him. So he would jump Diego at every opportunity he would get just to feel something else, just to have Diego pound into him until there was only blissful silence in his head and lust taking over his whole body. It was a bit selfish, yes, but it helped.

»Is it bad?« Diego hummed by his side as they walked down to the shore. »I mean the ghosts.« He wouldn't ask about Klaus’ urges to take drugs. Diego was a gentleman, after all. He didn't need to ask. He knew that it was bad.

»Not right now.« Klaus replied cautiously, meaning both the ghosts and the drugs. »But that can change any minute now, I guess. There aren't many around right now. But they will come.« He added with a tired sigh.

Sleeping had become increasingly harder now. Even with Diego always by his side, he had troubles staying asleep and not to fall prey to his endless plethora of nightmares. Sometimes it would just be his father who would torment him in his dreams, handing out beatings in both the physical and verbal sense. Sometimes it would just be the old man beating him with a cane or his belt or shoving him into that god-awful mausoleum. Sometimes it was worse than this. Sometimes it would be all those men he had once met in dingy bars and back alleys - or even the trucker with the Tinkerbell tattoo. Sometimes he would wake up unable to breathe, unable to move his limbs, stuck in limbo as dark and slimy hands were grabbing his body until Diego would be able to pull him back to the surface somehow.

»I wished I could help you.« He sounded honest - of course, he did.

Diego was not a liar. Even when he tried he was god-awful at it. Of course, Diego wanted to help him but this was nothing he could help him with. Klaus’ powers were not like those of his siblings, no power that could really be tamed or trained. It was all over the place and every time he thought he had control, it would slip right through the cracks between his fingers like water. Water. Yes. His powers were like water surrounding him always and he was drowning, drowning, drowning.

And Diego … Well, Diego could throw him a safety buoy again and again or pull him back to the surface but that wouldn't quite change anything. Soon the waters would close over his head again and drown him in darkness until he could see nothing else but darkness and the horrible grimaces of the dead all around him - until he couldn't even see Diego any longer.

But then, Diego would sometimes turn on the radio extra loud and start singing badly to whatever song was playing on the radio to distract him from the wailing of the ghosts and be as loud as possible himself so that Klaus would be able to hear him over them. He loved him for it. He loved, loved, loved him for it. There was no way around it. And sometimes they would stop in the middle of nowhere when it got too bad and Diego would turn the radio loud, pull him out of the car and dance with him just so that Klaus would be able to feel his body again, just to make him realize that he was not dead yet.

Klaus had never been more desperate to figure out how to deal with his powers. He felt like a complete let down for always burdening his boyfriend with all the shit he was carrying around. But Diego never complained, never said anything about it, just took it and even took his bitchiness and his complaints and his desire to fight him.

»Maybe I could find work on one of those fisher boats.« Diego pointed towards the pier as they were nearing the local harbor where the fishermen were just leaving the shore on their boats. It was a small harbor for a small town, just a handful of boats lying in the water. »I could help sell the fish too.«

»Oh joy.« Klaus laughed. »I just love it when you come home to me stinking like fish.«

»I know you do.« Diego laughed as they were walking towards the pier. »You always dreamed of being a fisherman’s wife, staring longingly at the sea and wait for my safe return.«

»Why, yes of course.« The early morning breeze of this late February morning was crisp around his nose as they neared the pier. It smelt like salt and fish and freedom and he loved every second of it. Klaus had always thought that he wouldn't be the type of person for a quiet little town by the sea, that he would prefer the hectic hustle and bustle of a big city with temptation around every corner. And yet, he felt content walking with Diego through the sand like this. It was calm and quiet and there weren’t as many ghosts around yet.

Diego, of course, honored his stupid little codename in being drawn to the sea at every twist and turn.

»I’m gonna stand on that pier in a flowy little nightgown, staring at the sea with a handkerchief waving in the night and a lantern in my hand like Florence Nightingale. Waiting for the safe return of my beloved Kraken.«

※※※※※※※

The day was sunny and calm with only a few little white clouds lingering about lazily. The fisher boat was rocking softly from one side to the other. He liked the feeling of being out under a clear blue sky on the calm sea in just this little fisher boat. He liked his work, even though those other guys usually only gave him the dirty work they didn't like to do themselves. What he did not like, even two weeks into this job, was the way they would talk to him.

It wasn't like Diego would be very sensitive. Yes, he had grown up in a very sheltered environment - at least in theory. Yes, he had never been subjected to racism at home or in the city they had grown up in. He had expected more and more of this in smaller towns like this. And, usually, he wasn't too bothered by it too. It was what it was, right? And he wouldn't change the way those people talked or thought anytime soon either, no matter if he would bitch about it or not. All he could do was square his jaw and bear it or leave and find other work. Diego Hargreeves was no pansy, though. And he knew that the only way he could ever hope to gain the acceptance of those men was to work hard and not whine about his plight.

It wasn't just the fact that the color of his skin was different from theirs. It wasn't just that he was Mexican. Keeping it a secret that Diego was with another boy in a town so small was virtually impossible. Not that either one of them would have tried to keep it a secret, to begin with. They had nothing to hide, after all. They were who they were. They loved each other and there was nothing wrong about it.

Well, of course, those men on this boat, the _Primrose_ , saw it a little differently and he didn't blame them. It was the way they had been raised. It was the way they had been taught and perhaps they were too old to change their views. Whatever it may be, it wasn't Diego's place to lecture them about any of that stuff and, frankly, he had more important stuff to do anyway.

They hadn't meant to stay so long in this town. But then Martha needed some minor fixes two days after they reached the town and found a place where they could set up their basecamp. Of course, it would be easier to find a small affordable guest house but they needed every dollar they had and by now they were used to living in their car. Klaus had found a job in a small family-owned grocery store near the market where Diego would sometimes sell the fish they caught.

It was … nice. It really was.

He liked the simplicity of it all. He liked working with his hands and going home with the good feeling of having done good honest work. He liked coming home to Klaus, make dinner over a small campfire or take him out to the local diner and just enjoy each others company. It was domestic and peaceful and maybe he liked it a lot more than he should. He was not even eighteen years old, after all, and should probably be a lot wilder and untamed - just like Klaus.

»Hey!« One of the men, Jack, called out as Diego was just pulling in another net. The yields were sparse today. At least for now. It was almost two in the afternoon and they would head back soon. Today they had not met their quota and Diego knew who they would blame for it. Well, not that he would care that much. After all, if he would lose his job, he could easily find another one or move on with Klaus. He held little regard for their criticism. »Beaner! Stop daydreaming and go back to work! Trabajo! You can start gutting those fish. Doesn't look like we’ll catch more than that. You understand?«

»Yes, Sir.« Diego gave a mock salute and an unamused huff as he pulled the net in completely and went to work as ordered. He would prove to them that he could work a knife. And later, when he would tell Klaus about this day, his boyfriend would demand to come with him tomorrow and beat the crap out of these men. Klaus might not be a fighter but he was feisty.

Jackson Fincher was the captain of the _Primrose_. He had, apparently, inherited the boat from his grandfather and was not willing to put too much money into the much-needed renovations on the boat - or the time and effort it would take to bring her up to date. Jack was a man with broad shoulders and sunburns on his sunburns, too white to be out in the sun and barely a patch of dirty blonde hair left on his head hidden underneath an old trucker hat.

The _Primrose_ only held three men other than Diego. Jack, of course, and his two best friends in this Hicksville. Paul and Tom.

Diego kept to himself most of the time and he did so now as he was beginning to gut the fishes they’ve caught while the rest of the bunch were listening to the old transistor radio they had tied to the mast. They always listened to the same station. Nothing but sports all day long. From Baseball to soccer. It was the _manly_ station, apparently. Neither one wasted a second thought about local news or the weather report.

»Hey, kid!« One of the other men yelled over once more. Paul, an elderly gentleman whose face looked like a well-worn brown leather handbag. His white hair always stood in sharp contrast to the rest of his skin but he had an easy smile and bright blue eyes. Of all the guys on this boat, he was the friendliest towards Diego and the easiest to get along with. »Have you seen the game last night?«

»What game?« Diego replied before he could think about it and earned himself a snort from his boss.

»The game, boy!« Paul tried it again but as understanding didn't dawn on Diego's face due to this clarification, Jack gave another snort.

»Don't waste your time, Pauly.« Jack laughed. »The kid doesn't look like much of a football fan to me.«

»Maybe baseball then?« Paul tried again, almost desperate now to find at least some common ground for them all. Pauly, and Diego appreciated that greatly about the old man, was the peacekeeper of the group. He always tried his best to have them all get along as much as they possibly could. »Ice-Hockey? Soccer? Basketball?«

»Not much of a fan.« Diego shrugged but held Jack’s gaze as the man tried to stare him down. He could imagine Jack being one of those stereotypical jocks in high school. The one who had tormented the weaker nerds, perhaps. The one who had married his high school sweetheart because he had gotten her pregnant at sixteen and lived in misery ever since with debts as huge as the Chrysler building and a growing beer belly.

»No, you are more fond of … ballet or something like that right?« Jack laughed and Tom, who was the quietest of the three rolled his eyes.

»Just leave him be, Jack.« He sighed. »Not every man needs to love sports or love talking about sports all day long.«

»Well« Diego started just as he threw the guts of his first fish into the designated bucket. »I used to do boxing, actually.«

»You?« Jack laughed but his face betrayed his honest surprise. »I can imagine that you liked seeing sweaty guys in the ring but you don't strike me as much of a fighter yourself.«

»I was quite good. Used to train with my big brother.« Calling Luther his big brother seemed oddly wrong but at least he could defend his statement to himself in telling himself that Luther was indeed bigger than he was. »Used to do Capoeira and Taekwondo as well. Our dad was very adamant in teaching us kids how to fight. He was not much of an enthusiast for other kinds of sports, though. We only had one TV in the house and our TV time was very strictly limited. So … We never got that much exposure to Football or Baseball or anything like that. He said it would dull our minds.«

»But surely you got in touch with that stuff at school!« Paul encouraged him to finally give a little white lie to appease Jack. Jackson Fincher, whose car was decorated with all kinds of crap of his favorite football team.

»My siblings and I were homeschooled.« Diego shrugged.

Jack gave a small whistle. »You really are a pansy, aren't you? Well, still better than your little friend, I guess. He looks like quite the twink. To him, you are probably the manliest thing he will ever see.« Jack’s laughter managed to infect his two comrades, but Diego couldn't care less. Jack was not that creative when it came to his insults and so he could forgive him easily. He didn't know any better and Diego would be gone soon anyway, right?

There was no denying, though, that Diego’s blood usually started boiling when someone insulted or made fun of Klaus. He was a simple man like this. He flicked the knife in his hand that he used to gut the fish on instinct.

»What did you just call my boyfriend?« Diego snarled before he could bite his own tongue. Deep down inside, he knew that this was just what Jack had wanted. He had wanted this kind of reaction. He wanted to make Diego lose his temper and have the boy fight with him here in front of everyone just to have a decent excuse to kick him out of his crew without looking like a raging racist or homophobe - which was the only reason why he had hired Diego in the first place.

»I think you heard me just right.« And there it was, the moment Jack had waited for. »I said your little _girlfriend_ looks like a-«

He didn't get to finish his sentence as Diego jammed his knife into the mast and decked him in one swift move. It was stupid and completely unnecessary and no one was more aware of that fact than Diego himself and yet the punch he delivered to Jack’s face right then and there felt satisfying and right. It was exactly what he wanted to do with his dad before they escaped his clutches. Back then, he had been so desperate of beating the old man up for all the pain and suffering he had inflicted upon them, his children.

The truth was also, that Diego would have never done it even if given the chance. Despite everything, his fear of the old man had been too strong. He did not fear Jack, though and the old man was too stunned by the swiftness of the attack. The resulting scuffle was enough to rock the boat a little more than before and none of the four men aboard the _Primrose_ even noticed the dark clouds brewing on the horizon or how the wind suddenly picked up.

No one, not even the seasoned fishermen, had noticed the storm that was creeping up on them before it was too late. Just as Diego was pulled back from Jack by poor old Paul, thunder clapped over the sky and a lightning bolt struck a rock near the beach.

Diego’s first lesson on a boat was that when storms like this hit, they hit with a sudden ferocity that could only be explained by God playing roughhouse with his most favorite toys or some Norse god throwing a temper tantrum. As sudden as those storms would come up, as sudden they would dissipate as well. But while they lasted they could be hell on earth for every unlucky person out on the sea.

Diego’s crew, the seasoned fishermen, had been so engrossed in their own conversations and their work that they hadn't seen the warning signs and Diego himself was too inexperienced to do so. As Paul dislodged him from Jack, everything happened at once.

»That’s it!« Jack yelled at Diego through bloodied teeth as the teen stood there seething with unbridled rage and anger. Paul was still holding onto him to keep him from jumping at Jack again. »You are fucking fired, Assfucker!« Jack’s words were almost swallowed entirely by the thunder roaring across the sky but none of the men on the boat, including Diego, paid it any attention. »You are fucking screwed you little scumbag! I will have you arrested as soon as we get to shore and then your sorry ass will land in jail - or get deported back to Mexico! I will fuck you and your little slut up until-«  

»Grab the mast, Pauly!« Tom suddenly yelled over Jack’s tirade as he hurried across the deck as quickly as he could. »Secure the catch, Diego!«

The storm sent the first violent waves crashing into the side of the boat with new found anger and as Tom was already yelling over Jack to secure today’s hard work and hold onto something, a bigger wave sent their boat spiraling out of control. It was a complete mess afterward. The other three men barked orders at each other and Diego, trying to regain some semblance of control although even Diego could tell that they had already lost all control.

The _Primrose_ was no match for the storm as it was shoved violently from left to right and Diego almost didn't make it to the mast. Waves sent water over the deck of the boat and almost washed away Diego’s unsecured net. He was quick to lunge at it though and tied the net with the remaining fish in it quickly to the mast in hopes that it would survive if the boat would capsize after all. Keeping on his feet was almost impossible so violently the boat was shaken as if some horrible creature from the deep abyss of the ocean would have them in their thralls and shake their boat like a little toy. The memory of Ben flashed in his mind, sitting in the bathtub with Klaus and playing with a toy boat. Cthulhu was awakening in R’lyeh under the sea.

»Hold onto the mast, Boy!« Jack shouted at him and just then, before Diego could even try to hold onto the mast, another violent big wave thundered into the side of the boat and threw the _Primrose_ on her head.

※※※※※※※

Cursing under his breath, Klaus quickly dipped into the entrance of yet another boutique on the main street as rain started to slam onto the pavement without any kind of forewarning as if some kid decided to hail down a storm of water balloons from some nearby roof. There were no mean spirited children throwing water balloons from rooftops in February though. Only a few other people quickly ducking for cover in the entrances of stores or houses like Klaus. Already his curls were hanging in his face dripping water and his jeans were soaked in a matter of seconds.

»What the hell?« He gasped at the offending sky. Just a minute ago it had been a perfectly nice day and now that! Dark clouds were mocking him from above.

»You’ll get used to it.« A woman who left the store behind him chuckled at his profanity to the chime of a small bell above the door of the boutique. »Storms like this are not rare in this region, you know? They sometimes come unexpectedly but are over just as quickly. You should always keep an eye on the sailors and fishermen at the docks if you want to know what the weather will be like.«

»My boyfriend is a fisherman.« Klaus replied a little concerned. Certainly, such storms were dangerous out in the open water, right?

»Oh, don't worry, Honey.« The woman smiled encouragingly. Like only so few people in New Bern, she seemed completely unbothered by his previous statement. Well, she was younger than most people of New Bern. »Surely, they didn't leave the harbor. Those old shellbacks know the weather better than anyone else. To which boat is he signed?«

» _Primrose_ .« Klaus made a face. He had already met Jack, the Captain of the _Primrose_ once as he had picked Diego up from work and came to the conclusion that he couldn't stand the man and how he treated his brother. Not to mention that the way Fincher had looked at him that day had spoken volumes.

»Jack Fincher’s boat?« The woman huffed with a soft roll of her eyes. »Well, then they might have been just stupid enough to go out.«

That was certainly not what Klaus had wanted to hear and only fed the bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. Klaus had always been the most sensitive of all the seven children, the most in tune with not only his own emotions but those of the people around him. And he had always had a certain sixth sense when something was wrong. Maybe it was part of his powers. Whatever it was, he felt the distinct urge to run to the docks now.  What if Diego was in trouble? Not that he would be of that much help if something happened to the boat out there, right?

Still, Klaus worried his bottom lip between his teeth for just a few seconds longer before he gave the woman beside him a quick nod, pulled the hood of his raincoat over his already wet mop of hair and started running without giving it another thought.

※※※※※※※

He coughed up water as he breached the surface. Rain was beating down on him like a million tiny fists. Everything was chaos all of a sudden. For the briefest moment, he didn't even know which side was up and which side was down. As he managed to pry his eyes open and look around he found the boat lying on her side.

The boat wasn't far off from where Diego resurfaced and Diego was probably lucky that the mast had not hit him in the head as the boat slammed into the water. The wind and the waves were so loud that he could barely hear anything else. There was movement though. He could see the bright yellow of Tom’s jacket near the boat. He swam quicker towards the boat as he saw Tom holding onto the side of the _Primrose_ as for dear life.

»Diego!« There was Paul’s voice not too far off either. »Diego over here! Come back to the boat, quick, boy, quick!«

He could see Paul cling to the nose of the _Primrose_ with all the strengths he possessed. He might look like a little old man but Diego knew better than anyone else that those guys could hold their own pretty easily. They had to possess a certain strength and physical prowess for this very demanding job. Only as he reached the capsized boat he noticed that there was no sign of Jack anywhere.

»Where’s the captain?« Diego yelled through the storm even as the wind was swallowing his words and ripping them right from his lips. He could see the anxiousness and panic on the faces of his colleagues though as they started to process his words. There was no sign of Jack’s head anywhere between the waves as Diego looked around, blinking water out of his eyes.

And then, without even wasting another thought, even against the worried yells of the other two, Diego took a deep breath and dove under the water once more. Jack might be an asshole but he didn't deserve to die because of it!

Under the surface it was quiet. Blissfully quiet. Down there, beneath the waves, it was another world entirely. Dark and quiet. So dark he could hardly see anything. Yet, Diego swam down, frantically searching through the darkness for any sign of Jack. It was futile and nobody knew this as good as Diego himself but he still swam down further. If Jack had been hit by the mast perhaps then chances were good that he was currently sinking like a stone and maybe even already out of reach.

He swam deeper nonetheless, knowing that Paul and Tom thought he wouldn't rise again, knowing that other peoples’ lungs would already start giving out. Well, his training came at his benefit, at last, he mused as his ears started ringing from the pressure. There would be questions later. He knew it. He didn't know how long it was already but he knew that it was a few minutes - longer than most people would be able to hold their breath. Of course, they would ask questions.

He was almost just about to give up as he caught a glimpse of the white jacket Jack was wearing, flaring in the darkness of the abyss like a torch. He swam quicker, moving downwards even further and further until he finally reached the drowning man. Swimming back up to the surface with the additional weight of another person was hard, perhaps even too hard for a normal person. Jack was not exactly a lightweight either even in the weightlessness of the water. Luckily for Jack, Diego was no normal person and although it was hard, almost unbearable, Diego swam and swam as quickly as he possibly could.

As he breached the surface, he did so with a gasp under the surprised shouts of his two colleagues. Above them thunder was still roaring loudly in the distance, lightning bolts were flashing dangerously and the wind was howling. Everything was loud and just the same as Diego had left it but there was a boat coming towards them now and it felt as if year might have passed in the meanwhile.

Jack would survive.

Diego knew this as they reached the pier. And just as they reached the pier, through the thick veil of the rain falling onto the wood, he could see the person who was responsible for the quick rescue by the lifeguards. Klaus stood in the pouring rain, his yellow raincoat unable to provide him with enough protection from these amounts of downpour. He didn't seem to care though as he came running to the end of the pier as soon as Diego got out of the boat. Klaus didn't seem to care what his colleagues might think. He didn't care that Diego was soaked either. The moment Diego had ground under his feet, he had Klaus in his arms.

A little while later, Diego watched how Jack was being carried on a stretcher into an ambulance. He would make it but he would be out of commission for a little while for sure. It stopped raining just when one of the paramedics was done checking Diego over. He craved a hot bath. He craved curling up next to a heater. He craved soft warm clothes. Instead, he had an equally wet and cold Klaus glued to his left side and his other two colleagues looking at him in awe. He expected being asked about how he saved Jack. He expected them to ask him how he had been able to be underwater for so long. Even Klaus seemed to expect something like this the way he glanced warily at Paul and Tom, ready to attack either one of them if they would say something rude.

To Diego’s utmost surprise, it was Tom who spoke up first and stepped over to them. They had been lucky. None of them had sustained larger injuries and Jack would be up to shout at Diego in two days, with just a minor concussion. Then again, would he shout at Diego again? He had fired him, after all. Well, time to find a new job, he supposed.

»Well … We better get going.« Diego muttered awkwardly as he looked at his colleagues. After all, what else was there to say? If they wouldn't start spouting questions at him - And even if they would! He had no obligation to tell them anything left, right?

»You did good, kid.« Tom said in that gruff voice of his as he extended his hand to Diego. He was a little perplexed by the gesture but took it anyway to give the hand a firm shake before dropping his hand to his side again. »I mean, I have no clue how you did it, but you saved our captain when none of us could.«

»If I hadn't started a fight with him before, we wouldn't have been surprised by the storm, to begin with. And we wouldn't have lost our catch.«

»Jack had it coming.« Tom shrugged. »He was itching to provoke you to fight him from the first day, wanted to have a valid reason to fire you without looking like the complete and utter asshole he is deep down.«

Diego didn't even know what to say to this. A part of him wanted to laugh - Klaus took that burden from him as he finally extracted himself from Diego’s side with a small chuckle. »Sounds like he got what he deserved then.«

Paul laughed. He sounded tired but his laugh was honest. »I like you, kid.« He pointed at Klaus. »Cutting straight to the point, I like that.«

Under the scrutiny of his colleagues, Diego scratched his neck. He was itching to get out of those clothes but just thinking about spending another night in their car was making his skin crawl. It was cold already and they would probably both catch a cold if they would not invest in a motel room tonight.

»We should get going.« Diego repeated quietly and more to Klaus than his two colleagues. Apparently, Tom had other plans though.

»You are living in your car, right?« It didn't sound like mockery or any kind of accusation either. It was just a statement and not judgmental in the slightest. Diego gave a small nod and Klaus’ face split into a huge grin.

»We love the freedom.« He smirked. »Enjoying the hippie lifestyle and all that. Well, with fewer drugs, unfortunately.« He gave him a small pinch in the side and Tom cleared his throat with a small glance at Paul.

»Listen … I would feel honored if you guys would spend the night at my place. Since our boys moved out last Summer, we have a spare room and my wife Susie makes a mean chili.«

»Oh … that's … No, we can’t do that. We wouldn't want to be a burden.« Diego mumbled awkwardly.

»Speak for yourself, Dee. I enjoy being a burden.«

»Come on, Diego. You guys will probably catch pneumonia if you spent the night in your car like this. You need a good hot meal and a nice long bath and then a relaxing sleep and tomorrow we can assess the damage done to the boat together. You’ll help us, right?«  

That was how they ended up lying in the two twin beds in the vacant room of Tom’s twin sons. They had enjoyed a nice hot bath before dinner - separately of course - and Tom had given them some of his sons’ old clothes for the night while their stuff was enjoying a ride in the washing machine and then the dryer. While Diego had enjoyed beers with Tom and Paul, Klaus, thankfully, stuck to ice tea instead.

It was odd for Diego to sleep without Klaus curled into his side but Peggy had dutifully readied both beds for them and it had seemed rude for them to don't use them both then. As midnight rolled around, his mattress dipped ever so slightly and soon he felt the familiar weight of Klaus’ curly head drop on his chest. Of course, it had been just a matter of time until his brother would find his way into his bed. He was glad that Klaus usually didn't listen very well to orders. Just lying in the darkness, he had known that he wouldn't find sleep without him by his side and so he curled his arm around him and gave a small huff in response. At least Klaus had brought his own pillow and blanket over. It was comfortably warm and cozy like this and he didn't want to change this anytime soon.

»You used your powers today.« Klaus hummed quietly as he listened to Diego’s heartbeat the same way he always did when they would settle down to sleep.

»Yeah.« Diego sighed. »I didn't have a choice, kinda.«

»You could have let him drown.«

»True. But that wouldn't have been very hero-like, right?«

»We are no heroes though.« Klaus shrugged. »Not anymore, right? Do you think they … noticed? Do you think they are suspicious?«

»No.« Diego murmured into the darkness of the small bedroom. »I mean they probably know that I was down longer than any human should … but in the heat of the moment, they probably account it to the adrenaline. We need to be more careful from now on, though. If anyone gets suspicious of us … They will probably remember having heard of us before and alarm the old man.«

»So … Perhaps we should get ready to leave town soon, huh?«

»Probably.«

As they fell back into silence, they both knew that they didn't want to do that. Even though they were only in town for two weeks by this point, they both liked it here. New Bern was a nice quiet place. The people were nice and accepting for the most part and willing to give two weird boys like them a chance. Despite everything, he liked Paul and Tom. He liked his work on the _Primrose_. He liked the work at the market selling Fish and clams. He liked visiting Klaus at the supermarket during lunch breaks. He didn't want to leave too soon and he knew that Klaus didn't either.

»I like it here.« Klaus sighed after a while.

»Yeah … me too.«

 

**-End of Chapter 6-**


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick note: Thank you to those who commented on my question if I should rename this fic! I really appreciated your input <3 <3 <3

It was nice. That was really the only way to describe it. Not the only way, perhaps, but the proper way. Of course, Klaus wouldn't be Klaus if he would just be able to accept it like this. Paranoia was creeping up on him with every step he took. Haunting him. Taunting him. A shadow following him around and everything that came into contact with the shadow started to corrode and fall apart. It was his own mind which proved to be his worst enemy. His own mind that suspiciously sounded like his father.

_»Six more hours, Number Four!«_

Reginald's voice always echoed through his mind, even over the clanking sounds of the canned peaches he was putting on the top shelf. In another life, back at the academy, he would have dreaded a job like this - putting cans on some shelf and mopping floors - but it was nice. He liked having a normal, a stable, job like the next Tom, Dick, or Harry. He liked not having to bother with thoughts of how Diego and he would get enough money to keep surviving on their own.

It was nice to just lead a normal life without all this superhero bullshit all the time, albeit living in a car still. It was a small price to pay. The only thing that was bothering him, were the ghosts. Plural. Who would have thought that so many ghosts would file in and out of a supermarket in such a small town?

Then again, he should have probably expected something just like that in such a remote and small town. For the most part, these ghosts were not bothering him anyway. They were a little annoying from time to time, yes. Especially those who kept bugging Klaus about where the toilet paper was, stuck in an endless routine of going to the grocery shop as if they were still alive. Some he could regularly see fiddling with their coins and pennies at the cash register. Some would stand around staring at a long forgotten shopping list.

There was one ghost though ... He was a bit different compared to the more lethargic ones roaming the supermarket. He came in with a certain old lady every other day, Mrs. Katz, trailing behind her like a shadow. He had died young. In his late twenties, perhaps, clad in the tan uniform of a U.S. soldier. He was, despite his ghostly appearance and the giant hole in his chest, a good looking young man with dirty blonde hair and a handsome face.

The old woman, on the other hand, was largely unremarkable. She was presumably in her late eighties already, little and frail - but by no means in spirit. Her blue eyes were like steel, her gaze sharp, her conviction unwavering. She refused to give in to her body’s demands, kept her back straight and her eyes focused on the task. In such a small town, it was easy to get to know the people around. Soon after he had first seen Mrs. Katz at the supermarket, Klaus and he had talked at the cash register where he had then learned her name. She was a nice old lady.

She came by every Wednesday morning only to return on Saturday and always bought the same items each time, asking for Klaus’ help to reach the shelf with the canned peaches - which was why Klaus always made sure those were sufficiently stocked. The ghost that always followed her around seemed either unaware of Klaus or he deliberately ignored him. Well, Klaus would not try to catch his attention any time soon.

»He seems sad, though.« Klaus sighed as he pulled his jacket tighter around himself against the sharp wind. Diego gave a muffles little response around his plastic fork. Klaus had bought lunch for Diego at this little Chinese restaurant down the street. After he came to the beach they had decided to sit in the sand and just enjoy their lunch break together. Since that freak storm and since Jack returned from the hospital, he was a whole lot nicer to Diego as it seemed. He even refrained from making stupid comments when Klaus would come by. In fact, he had started greeting Klaus and even asked him how he was doing sometimes. Baby steps.

»Aren't all ghosts a little sad?« Diego then mumbled after he had actually swallowed his bite of fried rice.

»Sure.« Klaus shrugged and cast a glance at Ben who was standing close by at the shoreline. His brother was staring out onto the open sea as if lost in thought. Perhaps he just wanted to give the couple a little more privacy. Things could get a bit awkward with a ghost brother around all the time. Well, Benny usually didn't seem all that sad to Klaus. He had resigned himself to the fact that he was dead but he didn't seem overly sad as it was. Not more so than he had been while alive. »But … I don't know. I feel like I should help her - or him. Whatever.«

He stabbed at the fried rice that they shared between them both. They were too cheap to buy them both a decent lunch. Klaus wasn't a good eater anyway and Diego needed his strength much more than he did. Of course, his boyfriend would contest this statement. Diego’s gaze resting upon him, however, was not that encouraging. He looked rather worried instead. While he would have encouraged him to actually work with his powers before they had run away from home, he now seemed a little more hesitant.

»We should be careful, though.« He said but it was clear to Klaus what he actually meant. He didn't trust his judgment in this situation. He didn't trust that Klaus would actually be able to use his powers without fucking everything up for the both of them. »We have to protect our identities first and foremost.«

»I know, I know, Mr. Ramirez.« Klaus sighed with a soft roll of his eyes. He couldn't blame Diego for not trusting Klaus with his own powers. Yet, Diego had used his powers to save Jack in front of Tom and Pauly, right? Then again, his brother had hardly had a chance in this regard. Jack would have died if he hadn't done anything. No one would die if _Klaus_ wouldn't do anything. His powers just weren't that world-changing or monumental. »I … You are right. I should keep a low profile.«

Diego studied his face for a moment after that before he allowed a sigh to leave him. »No … Listen, I am glad that you try to be more in tune with your powers and actually train them. If you think you can help then you should try at least. I just want you to be extra careful.«

Klaus was silent for a while as he mulled over what Diego said. Maybe he was right. Maybe he should just give it a try and see if it would work out. »If Dad could see us now.« He chuckled. »Here we are, running away from being superheroes and do just that - being heroes.«

»We are not running away from being heroes, though. We are running away from Dad and his torture. We are running away from being beaten and locked up and abused. There's a difference right there. I always wanted to help people. Doesn't matter if I have to use my powers for that or not, right?«

»You would make a good cop, Babe.«

Diego grinned a little, almost sheepish at the idea. »Maybe I will be a cop one day. Though without records and graduation from school, I doubt they’ll accept me.«

As always, Diego had a good point. The truth was, their father had no records of them. No birth certificates, nothing. To the world, they didn't really exist. They had smiled at the cameras pointed at their faces and yet the kids behind those masks hadn't even existed to the world. They didn't even have names. Their father had not adopted them. He had bought them. Their mother’s hadn't had time to think about giving their children up for adoption. They had sold them. A long time ago, Klaus had been angry at his own birth mother. It had taken him a long time to realize that his own mother had probably been scared to death after the experience she had had. Giving birth out of nowhere surely had to have been traumatic.

Years after he had come to this conclusion, Klaus had snuck into his father’s office and found his own file. Leave it to Sir Reginald Hargreeves to meticulously note everything he knew about his children. Including their mothers. His mother, Klaus had learned on that day, had been a sixteen-year-old German girl. She had died giving birth to him and he himself almost hadn't survived the ordeal. She had been alone when it happened and when her parents had found her, she had already been dead and cold, bled out on the kitchen floor in that tiny farmhouse. Her parents, scandalized by the events, had all too willingly sold him to the eccentric billionaire.

Not even a few minutes on this planet, Klaus had already been in touch with the dead. Not even a few minutes on this planet, Klaus had already killed.

It was pure instinct that prompted Klaus to reach over and take Diego’s hand. One day, he thought, Diego would be an awesome cop. And perhaps, he thought as Wednesday rolled around and Mrs. Katz walked in, he too would one day be more than just some useless ex-junkie slob. More than just a number. Unlike Diego, he had no clue what he wanted to do with his life one day. He had never had aspirations like the rest of them. Perhaps he would become a painter. Or he would become a professional medium for the rich and famous.

As Mrs. Katz walked in that Wednesday, Klaus hid behind the shelf near the door. He gave Ben a small nod as the ghost soldier trailed in after the old woman. His eyes focused on his work, Klaus watched in secret how Ben slid over and grabbed the attention of the other ghost. It didn't take his dead brother long to actually chat the soldier up and then to direct him at Klaus who waved awkwardly. In another life and if he would be older and this guy not dead, he might have fallen for him. As the guy realized that Klaus could actually see him, a hopeful smile crossed his features and made his dimples pop. He was, indeed, quite handsome for a ghost and not one of your typical run-of-the-mill screeching ghosties demanding Klaus’ attention.

»Can you … see me?« The ghost carefully approached as he took in Klaus’ appearance. He seemed overly mindful to not spook the teenager behind the shelf.

»Yes.« Klaus kept his voice as calm and quiet as possible. He didn't want to risk his boss, Mr. Miller, hearing him talk to thin air, after all. »Who are you and why do you follow Mrs. Katz around?«

»I’m Dave.« He replied right away. »Her son. David Katz. I’m just … worried for her.« He gave a heartfelt little sigh as grief crossed his handsome face. »You see … I died in Vietnam, in 1968. Bullet straight through the heart. Was over in a second. Didn’t even realize it. She never got over it. That's why I can't leave, you know? As long as she’s not okay … How could I leave her?«

Even though Klaus never really had a mother despite the robot they had decided to call Mom at some point, he could understand what Dave was going through. If Mom would be a real person, he wouldn't want her to suffer this kind of heartbreak either. Not again. Not after Benny and Five. If his true birth mother would still be alive … He wouldn't have wanted her to suffer such a thing either. Losing a child was probably the worst life had to offer.

»I get it.« Klaus smiled and glanced at Ben swiftly. His brother smiled encouragingly but with a certain dull sense of sadness in his dark eyes. Poor Benny, damned to trail after his useless brother. »But if you could, what would you want to tell her so that she can move on?«

※※※※※※※

Needless to say, Klaus felt quite awkward as he approached Mrs. Katz at the canned peaches the next time she came to the store. In fact, he felt like a total creep doing this. The poor old lady had no idea what kind of storm was coming her way as she was merely minding her own business. She seemed content in her own world, a smile gently playing on her lips.

»My brother used to like those canned peaches too.« Klaus approached her and tried to make it sound as casual and nonchalant as possible. He was carrying a few cans of soup in his arms that he casually distributed to another shelf near the peaches. »Mom could never buy enough of them for him.«

»Smooth.« Ben huffed from where he sat on the freezer. Klaus really had a hard time figuring out why in the world Ben would want to watch him all day. Diego’s job was probably a whole lot more interesting.  

Mrs. Katz looked at him in surprise before her confusion made way for a soft smile again. »My son Dave was the same way.«

Suddenly, a very vivid image of a pantry stuffed over and over with canned peaches crossed his mind. Was this why she kept buying them? He glanced at Dave, who was standing at the end of the aisle with a sad smile on his face. Of course, he had trailed after her when Mrs. Katz had entered the store as per usual.  

»My Mom kept buying them for years after he vanished.« He kept musing and that had the desired effect on the old lady as it piqued her interest in his little sob story. Well, at least none of that was a lie. Five, that weird funky little lunatic had devoured those nasty canned peaches when he was little - before he vanished.

»Your brother vanished?«

Klaus let out a deep little sigh. »Yes, when he was thirteen.« And, with a small shrug, he added: » _Poof_ and gone just like this. From one moment to the other, he was just gone. Got up from the breakfast table after an argument with Dad and never returned.«

»I’m sorry.«

»Not your fault.« He huffed with a playful little shrug and a grin. Klaus avoided looking at Ben. Poor dead Benji. He and Five had been close. They had understood each other on a level Klaus could never hope to reach with Ben, despite all the time Ben and he subsequently spend with each other now. Five’s disappearance had hit Ben and Vanya the hardest out of all of them. Vanya never stopped leaving fluffernutter sandwiches for him. She never stopped switching on all the lights in the house just in case he would come back home in the middle of the night. Vanya never stopped hoping and their father never stopped tormenting Klaus about making contact with Five in the afterlife.

»It's been a long time ago … However, the hardest part, especially for Mom, was probably the uncertainty, you know? Not to know what happened to him. Not to know if he was still alive out there somewhere or if he was okay. Even if he died, not to know how or why or if he was okay in death at least, if he had to suffer.«

He exchanged a discreet look with Ben at this. His brother had never been good at hiding his emotions. The sadness at this memory was clear in Ben’s brown eyes before he looked away again. The fact that Ben was haunting him, however, told Klaus clearly that Five wasn’t dead. Ben would have moved on to where ever it was he would go if Five would be waiting for him on the other side. And if Five would be dead, oh hell, he would haunt the shit out of Klaus. No, that little psycho was out there somewhere, alive and kicking. _Kicking_ , most definitely.

Five’s disappearance had been hard on all of them. However, Ben and Diego had always been the only ones who had not pressed him to try to see Five’s ghost or conjure him for their father. Of course, they had probably had an inkling on how much their father was tormenting Klaus because of Five, his golden boy.

He remembered endless hours of him locked in Five’s bedroom, staring at his airplane wallpaper with his Ouija board on the ground before him until he just told their father that he had indeed made contact with Five. He had told Reggie everything he had thought his father had wanted to hear and Reggie had beaten him so badly he hadn't been able to walk for a few days. He had been black and blue all over and not even alcohol, that newly discovered miracle wonder cure had helped to dull him to the pain.

»Did your mother ever find closure, Dear?«

»No.« Klaus shrugged again. He almost felt a little bad for using his own pathetic little story to get to where he needed to be with Mrs. Katz. That poor old woman was suffering even so many years after her son’s death. Well, that was why he wanted to help her, after all. She needed closure. The closure that the Hargreeves’ siblings would never get.

»When my brother Ben died a few months ago, it was easier. We had a grave, at least. A body to bury.« He didn't mean for the conversation to take such a dark turn and out of the corner of his eye, he saw how Ben vanished behind the next aisle. He didn't like talking about his death. It was too fresh still. Too traumatic.

She paused to consider his words for a second before she gave an agreeing little hum. »My Dave died in Vietnam.« She sighed unaware of Dave slinking closer towards her. He looked at her fondly but with sadness in his blue eyes. If he would have been able to, he would have probably hugged her. Instead, he looked at Klaus and nodded slightly. They were on the right track. »He died a hero, fighting for his country. I had a body to bury and I have a grave to visit. I guess that should make it easier for me. I know that he died doing what he thought was right but … I think it would be easier if I knew he was at peace. Look at this, silly old me, rambling in the middle of the store and wasting your time.«

»Not at all.« Klaus smiled as he reached up at the shelf to take a can of peaches for her. Mrs. Katz hesitated for a moment and then took the can to place it in her basket. Dave smiled. Baby steps.

Maybe, it was not the smartest idea to actually tell Mrs. Katz a week later, that he could see ghosts. In his defense, that admission came completely by accident. One day, Mrs. Katz, out of the blue told him that she sometimes thought that Dave was still with her and Klaus merely told her that she was right with that.

The look she gave him spoke volumes and so, Klaus quickly jumped to clarify. »Not in a ‘he will always live in your memory’ kind of way. He is here right now.«

»That's a bad idea.« Ben sighed, perched on the freezer again. He could be glad that his ghostly ass wouldn't get frostbites.

»His ghost is.« He should have expected the anger that was coming his way.

Anger seemed, in all honesty, to be the proper response to this kind of crazy talk. He would be angry too if someone would tell him that his dead brother was haunting the shit out of him. Benny was not of much help, however, as he merely sat there and shook his head. At least Dave seemed much more supportive. It was too late to go back now, though. No way that he would be able to turn around and act as if he had just made a stupid little joke.

»I beg your pardon, young man?« She replied in a high-pitched voice like he had never heard her before. She was clearly scandalized and he couldn't hold it against her either. »Was I so mistaken when I believed you to be a proper young gentleman?«

»No, I just-« He had never done this before. Until now, he had tried to ignore the ghosts, not actively help them. He was struggling to find the right words.

»Tell her about the time I jumped from the roof of our gardening shed and broke my wrist because my brother Tom told me I could fly.« Dave calmly interjected from his spot in the corner. This was a first for all of them but Dave was helping him through it, with calmness and kindness. He would have made a wonderful teacher. What a waste.

»Dave says when he was … eight his brother Tom told him to jump off of your gardening shed. He broke his wrist.«

He watched how her expression changed from anger to bewilderment to one of horror. She didn't know if she could believe his words - or rather, if she _should_ believe his words. Mrs. Katz was certainly not a naive old lady and Klaus could see the cogs turning in her head. Clearly, she was trying to figure out if he could have learned these details from someone else.

»Tom told him that he could fly but afterward he did all of Dave’s chores for two months because he was so sorry for what he did to his baby brother.«

»How could you … How do you know this?« Mrs. Katz whispered as she suddenly grasped his hands. Her anger suddenly completely dissipated like water on a hot plate.

»Long story.« Klaus replied awkwardly. »The important thing is that Dave is following you around ever since he died. He couldn't leave, couldn't move on without making sure that you would be alright.«

Mrs. Katz let out a startled gasp and more than ever before, Klaus wished he would be able to materialize Dave for her or somehow prove to her that he was indeed around. His powers truly were useless if he couldn't even give the ghosts around him enough energy to interact with the living world in some way. As Mrs. Katz’s eyes filled with moisture, Dave, who had moved closer to Klaus, started to whisper into his ear.

»He says, that you should go to visit Tom and his wife soon to meet your great-grandchild. He says, that you should finally take that leap of faith, sell your house and move closer to them. He says, that you should stop worrying about his grave because that is not where he is at anyway. He says, that he is fine and that it's okay for you to move on and stop buying those canned peaches for him. He knows you hate them.« Mrs. Katz let out a breathless, startled little laugh at that and put her hands quickly over her mouth. »He says, that he will be with his dad and his old dog Doodle when he is finally able to move on. He says, he is sorry about that fight you had right before his departure. He has forgiven you a long time ago for the things you said to him. It's all good now.«

Her basket full with groceries fell to the ground. Maybe he didn't quite expect the hug. Maybe he should have expected the hug, though. What he definitely did not expect was what followed.

»You are a godsend, Klaus Harris.« She smiled as she cupped his face with both her little wrinkly hands. Forgotten were the groceries in her basket. »You have a gift, Darling.«

»I've never seen it this way.« He didn't even know why he confessed this to her. It just came out and there was no way to take it back. Perhaps it was okay. Perhaps she understood. Dave put a cold ghostly hand on his shoulder. His smile was wide and bright and thankful. Even Ben seemed glad that Klaus had done this, in the end. He smiled at him, something akin to pride clearly written all over his stupid face.

»You will. One day.«

※※※※※※※

It was meant to only be Mrs. Katz. Of course, it didn't stay like this. In such a small town news of a teenage boy who could communicate with the dead spread like wildfire. And, for once, Klaus was okay with people knowing about it. Suddenly, he was not just some freak, some spooky little weirdo with spooky little weird tattoos on his hands. People took him seriously. They actually came to him for help. They believed him. They respected him. That was a completely new feeling for Klaus Hargreeves for certain.

Diego, on the other hand, was not a fan of the idea of Klaus going public with his powers like this. »I really don't get why it's such a big deal to you, Dee.« He sighed as he pulled his well-worn leather jacket closer around his shoulders. It was a cold night but he was wearing Benny’s old hoodie under his jacket and that was enough to keep him warm for now. Well, as warm as someone who was always cold could be. »You were okay with it when it was just about Mrs. Katz and her son.«

They were walking down the narrow street that led from their home, the parking spot where they had left Martha, down to the beach. He had been looking forward to this night and to spent it with Diego, arm in arm, dancing the night away and just enjoying life a little. They were teenagers, after all. They should enjoy their youth and party like rockstars!

»Yes!« Diego huffed in annoyance beside him and shoved his hands into the pockets of his thick coat. »Because that was one time and not the whole fucking town, Klaus!«

That Diego was not happy with Klaus unveiling his powers like he had, did not come as a surprise to him. He hadn't been a fan of the idea when Klaus had first brought up Mrs. Katz and her dead son, after all. However, he had encouraged Klaus to help her, in the end. Why couldn't he see now that Klaus was just trying to do something good?

»It's dangerous, Klaus! Dad is searching for us and you want to do what? Hold seances? You always hated this shit and now you want to do this just to make more money?«

Now, Diego was not the only one who was fuming in anger. They had both terrible tempers. They were both hotheads. They had both so little patience for bullshit. No wonder that Klaus almost exploded at those words.

»Excuse me?« He huffed. »If you hadn't used your powers, you wouldn't have been promoted to clam-diver and would not get more money because of it! How is this different?«

»They think I am just a good diver!« Diego shot back throwing his hands into the air now.

»Oh, come on! No one can stay underwater for so long! Even those guys can tell that there is something else going on with you!«

»I am not hurting anyone with my powers though!« Diego frowned then and stopped shortly before they reached the beach. Already, Klaus could hear the music and the noise from the other attendees of the party. The soft glow of lanterns in the sand filled the night with warms and a gentle breeze coming from the water tousled his curls.

Diego, however, forced him to stop as well. He grabbed both of his shoulders and turned Klaus around so that he would need to face him. His gaze was serious but not scolding. He could see the gnawing worry behind those brown irises and something else entirely. Fear, perhaps? Terror? Diego - and Klaus knew this for a fact - was just as afraid that their father might find them as he was. His brother was a man who didn't like to talk about his own insecurities, fears or plights, but Klaus knew that Diego had gone through similar nightmares as Klaus had. He wasn’t blind to the scars on his body, after all.  

»Klaus … these people believe what you say and they are desperate and what if you can't provide them what they seek?«

»Wow … Do you really think so little of me, Diego?« He frowned. »Do you think I am just another charlatan who preys on vulnerable people and use their grief for my personal gain?«

»That's not what I’m-«

»You know what? Forget it, Dee.« He swatted his hands away in anger. Of course, Klaus was aware that he was maybe overreacting a bit. He knew that Diego meant. That didn't mean he couldn't be angry that his brother thought Klaus was just thinking about the money in all of that. »I came here to have a good time - not to be treated like a thief.«

The party at the beach was already in full swing as Klaus walked on and left Diego behind. He came to have fun, not to fight with his boyfriend. Diego's words stung like knives but he knew that many people would think this way. Not Diego, though. Diego was meant to have his back. It was supposed to be them against the rest of the world, right? Yet, Diego went over to his coworkers who stood close to the refreshment table and Klaus went straight to the food table even though he wasn't even hungry, to begin with.

It wasn't a big party that they had been invited to, just the 50th anniversary of the New Bern Harbor Society as they called it. A nice get-together on the beach with music, a bonfire, food, and drinks. But they’ve gotten invited and that was a huge win in Klaus’ books. The people of New Bern liked them. And instead of celebrating this together as a team, they were fighting. He hated fighting - especially with Diego. They’ve always been a team.

Next time he spotted Diego, after he had gathered a plate of food he didn't even want and a bowl of burning hot chili con carne, his brother was nursing a beer and Jack was clapping him on the shoulder encouragingly. They were standing slightly off to the side of the bonfire, talking. Well, Jack was talking and Diego was drinking. Diego wasn't much of a drinker. He would never admit it, but the Kraken was a lightweight when it came to booze.

»I am selling my cottage.« He whirled around in surprise only to see Mrs. Katz standing there with a plate of potato salad. He hadn't even seen her at first. Now she smiled at him and Klaus realized only then that he had not seen her on her regular trip to the grocery store today. »I am moving to the other side of the country to be with Tommy and his family. Look at me, I am ninety-one years old and move across the country. I’ve never left New Bern. I was born here and spent my entire life in this town.«

»Aren't you afraid?«

»Of course, I am.« She laughed. Finally, she seemed a little more carefree now. Her smile was honest and free and there was a sparkle in her eyes that hadn't been there before. Dave was nowhere to be seen now. He had moved on. At least that was what Klaus hoped. »I am terrified. But that's life, I guess. I still have a few years left on the clock and thanks to you, I am not gonna waste them here. You are doing the same with your boyfriend, right? I’m sure living on the road is scary too.«

»It's terrifying.« He chuckled with a small shrug and glanced over to Diego only shortly. »But we are a good team - even when we fight - and I would do this with no one but him.« As he glanced over, he noticed that Diego did the same but quickly looked away again to take another sip from his bottle.

»So why are you boys fighting then?«

»Is it so obvious?« Klaus sighed. »I decided that I want to help more people with my … gift. Diego is not a fan of the idea, though.« He tried to make his shrug nonchalant but probably failed spectacularly. »It's a silly little fight. Not even worth fighting over.«

Mrs. Katz rubbed a reassuring hand over his upper left arm with a soft smile playing on her face. »Fights are never silly if you are truly hurt or bothered by something, Sweetheart. Yet, you should go and make up - and bring him this Chili. Food is the easiest way to a man’s heart and your man looks like he’s starving.«

»I didn't do anything wrong, though.« Klaus almost pouted at her and her smile only grew.

»Of course, not.« She laughed. »But I can tell that he feels guilty. Go, talk to him. Eat and have fun. Life is too short to hold a grudge or to be stubborn.«

With that, she left him to walk over to her friends, a group of little old ladies that would probably leave the party soon to go to bed. He felt as if she had left him to fight some kind of war. What a silly little thought. It was just Diego.

He remembered running away from Diego though when he was little and attracted his fury one too many times. Diego could be scary when he was angry. Then again, he didn't look angry - he looked sheepish whenever he glanced over to Klaus.

 _Okay, Klaus, you can do this_ , he convinced himself as Benny was holding up his thumbs from where he was sitting by the bonfire in the sand. Well, he had it easy. He didn't need to talk things through with the big bad wolf. He took a deep breath, steadied his grip on the plate and walked over to his assigned cave-man.

Diego too was soon forsaken by his crew as they saw Klaus approach. Tom just clapped a hand on Diego's shoulder and then it was just the two of them staring awkwardly at each other. It was a showdown at noon. The tensions were high. Either one waiting for the other one to draw first.

»I have … Chilli. I know you love Chilli.« It was a sorry attempt of starting a conversation. Laughably bad, actually. Certainly, Diego thought he had lost his mind - or he would have if they hadn't grown up in the same house under the same parental guidance of the same megalomaniac. Klaus’ bullet, however, hit the intended target.

»I do.« Diego replied with an awkward little smile as he took the bowl, the peace offering, from Klaus. Before Klaus could make an attempt to continue their conversation, however, Diego opened his mouth right away again. »I'm sorry.« He blurted out. »For the things I said. I’m sorry. I know how you feel about your power and … I was a dick.«

»It hurt.« Klaus admitted quietly. »But I understand. I have a track record of stealing and cheating and being a fraud. But … I never saw my powers as anything but a curse. I always hated them. But after Mrs. Katz and Dave, I realized how much good I could do with those powers and I want that, Diego. I really do. I want to do good. I want to help.«

There was a smile tugging on Diego's lips, a sense of pride in his eyes before Diego curled one arm around his shoulders and pulled him close. He was mindful of the food though. Always the gentleman. Feeling the softness of Diego's lips against his temple prompted him to close his eyes and the tension to melt out of his body completely. They still were a team.

And Benny was still a dick as he was making weird choking sounds from his spot at the campfire.

Klaus knew, of course, that they still had a long way ahead of them and that they were playing a rather dangerous little game in this town, using their powers. Reginald was still searching for them and nearly every night when he snuggled up to Diego to sleep, he dreamed about the horrors that would await them both as soon as Reggie might find them. And horrific it would be without a doubt.

Those endless nights inside the mausoleum would soon seem like a nice little dream. Soon he would wish himself back to the beating he had endured in the past. Especially now that Klaus was willing to actually listen to the ghosts, the torment would only get worse. None of that seemed to matter tonight, though. They were eating and chatting and dancing the night away and that was really the only thing that mattered now.

This life was their own and Reggie had no power over them anymore.

 

**-End of Chapter 7-**


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really bad at writing porn. I'm sorry.

Klaus’ eyes had always held a certain sense of darkness behind them. There were many things left unspoken between Diego and Klaus despite everything that connected them. Diego was aware of that. Many secrets his brother didn't dare speak about. Many things, Klaus had just swallowed down and drowned with drugs and alcohol in the past. Many things that had made his brother jaded and sometimes a little cold even.

Diego was not naive, though. He could tell that many of those secrets had to do with his sex life before they had gotten together or with the drugs he was still craving daily. Klaus did his best to act as if he wouldn't still be craving them, as if he was over his addiction but Diego could tell. He saw the trembling of his fingers, saw how jittery he was all the time. Klaus was sober for a few months now and he couldn't be more proud of him. Yet, the temptation remained. The urges remained. It was a force of nature, a hurricane threatening to sweep Klaus away if he was not careful - if Diego would not hold him down strongly enough.

And, honestly, it was hard not to get nervous when he would leave Klaus behind in town to do his job out on the water with Jack, Tom, and Paul. New Bern was a boring quiet little town but that didn't mean that it wouldn't also hold certain temptations. There was no city in the states that did not offer drugs and alcohol in some fashion and junkies were much better in finding illegal drugs than the police anyway. If Klaus truly wanted to relapse, he would find a way. Then again, now that Klaus was finally more in tune with his powers, maybe he didn't feel the need to numb himself so much anymore. He was using his power to his advantage now, after all, and he wouldn't be able to do so if he would be high as a kite.

That didn't mean that he wasn't worried still. He didn't know if he could do this again with him. He didn't know if he would be strong enough to help Klaus through withdrawal again. Last time had been hard, had almost torn them apart time and time again. Maybe he shouldn't worry about it too much. They had a good life here in New Bern. Two Months in and the community loved them. They flocked to Klaus’ little seances that left him drained of energy but happy and proud of his accomplishments. Finally, Diego and Klaus were part of something bigger. They were respected and liked. Sometimes people even brought them food to their car or old clothes that they might be able to use.

This life here in New Bern … It was such an odd little thing after growing up in a house like theirs. No matter what he had told Klaus at the beginning of this journey, Diego had never truly thought that they would find a place to settle down, a place were they belonged and felt welcomed. Every day now that spring had arrived, felt brighter and warmer.

»So, you and Klaus, huh?« Jack was still terrible at making small talk with the wayward youth on his boat. Diego, however, took it with a lot more calm than at the beginning as he made sure that the ropes were secured and everything ready for him to go diving later. Tom and Pauly were already sitting around and gutting their first catch of the day.  It was a nice sunny early morning that held promises to become a nice sunny day later. »How long do you know each other?«

Diego shrugged his shoulders and tried to be as nonchalant as possible. This question always held a certain sense of danger for both Klaus and him. Needless to say, they had come up with a story a while ago - at the same time, they had chosen those fake last names.

»Forever.« He replied with a crooked grin. »Grew up together. Klaus would call it a childhood love story, I guess. Truth be told, he was a menace when we were little.«

Jack nodded and Diego could tell that there was something else on his mind and that he was weighing his next words carefully - which was quite out of character for the old grouch and truly a bad sign. Jack Fincher was not one to weigh his words or try to think about what he was going to say. He blurted out what he thought and later dealt with the repercussions. After Diego had saved his sorry ass from drowning, however, he seemed more open and kind to Diego, more accepting of him even. Funny, how it would just take a man to face death to become less of an asshole.

»So, your parents were friends or did you grow up in the same neighborhood?«

Diego had never been a good liar and he didn't like to lie either. That was more Klaus’ strong suit. »Yeah … something like that.« He shrugged carefully. It was unusual that Jack would actually want to know stuff about Diego’s life before New Bern. If they talked, they would focus on the present, mainly. That he suddenly wanted to get to know Diego was … concerning, to say the least.

»Your boyfriend … He has quite the … talent, right?« Jack pondered. »I’ll be honest with you, Diego, because I believe you are a good guy with a good head on your shoulders. At first, I thought he was nothing but a fraud but when my wife went to see him about her dead father, I had to change my mind, you see? My wife never quite … got over her dad’s death. They weren’t close and had a huge falling out. It ate her alive ever since. This seancé, whether or not Klaus really made contact with her dead father’s spirit, helped her a lot and for that, I am really grateful.«

»O-Oh … Is that so?« He couldn't help the little smile that crept up on him. A wave of pride washed over him at this statement. In the beginning, he had been nervous about Klaus’ little side business but his brother was really helping people as it seemed. And he was not always taking money either. He would accept tips, yes, but mainly people would bring them food or old clothes instead. The truth was, after this whole thing had picked up, Diego had felt quite bad for the fight they had had because of this. Under his usual bravado and his crude comments and jokes, Klaus was a caring and gentle soul.

»You are those Hargreeves boys, aren't you?« It was Tom who finally chimed in and blurted out what his colleagues had not dared to ask until now.

»What?« Diego laughed half-heartedly although his heart had already dropped in his stomach and was currently dissolved in his stomach acid. They knew. There was no question about it. They knew who Klaus and Diego really were and it had been naive and stupid to stay in New Bern for such a long time and not think that they would realize the truth about them! Reginald was, after all, still searching for them. Surely, at least some of the people of New Bern had seen their faces on TV or the Newspapers that were still printing them. »No! No, of course not.« He huffed. »My name’s Ramirez, not Hargreeves.«

»Diego-«

»I mean, if I were one of those kids, that would mean Klaus would be my brother, right?« He tried to laugh it off, play it cool but he could tell already from the way those three men looked at him that he had completely blown it. He just wasn’t a very good actor or a liar. Their father had never taught them this skill. The look he gained for his lie was almost pitiful.

»We don't judge.« Paul smiled reassuringly from where he sat with a net draped over his lap. That didn't change anything about the way Diego felt, though. At this moment, he just wanted to jump overboard and swim back to shore. He wanted to run to the grocery store wet and dripping and panicked, grab Klaus and high-tail it out of this city. He didn't even get a chance to come up with an excuse as Paul continued. »But if you are those Hargreeves’ kids … We just want to know why you ran away from home. Because you clearly were not kidnapped, right?«

Diego wasn't used to talking about his family with anyone but his family. Then again, they had never seen anything of the world outside except for their missions before Klaus and he ran away. He didn't trust the situation. Yet, he had the feeling that his colleagues had known the truth about him and Klaus for quite some time now and until now they had not ratted them out, right? If they wanted to call Reggie and get the money for both boys, they could have just done it without talking to him first. Still, Diego Hargreeves had never been too trusting of outsiders. He hadn't been raised to be trusting of anyone outside of the family - Well, maybe not even that.

With a sigh, Diego rubbed his eyes and then drove a hand through his black hair. It had started to grow out quite drastically, much the same as Klaus’ hair had. Well, they had other things to worry about than getting a haircut.

»That's why you were able to save me, right?« Jack spoke up as Diego still couldn't force his lips apart to speak. »That's why you are able to stay under the water for such a long time, huh? You kids really have superpowers. And that's why Klaus can really make contact with the dead. You see, my daughter, Peggy, was quite the fan of you guys when she was little. Had a lunchbox and pajamas and stuff. Which one are you? I don't remember much of it, just that you guys were called by numbers or something.«

»Number Two.« Diego sighed at last. »I’m Number Two. The Kraken. And Klaus is Number Four, the Seancé. And those numbers are only part of why we left.« He hated talking about it but, as he looked at the faces of his coworkers, he didn't see judgment or disgust or anything but curiosity and openness. Even Jack seemed open to whatever he had to tell them.

»What do you mean?« Tom huffed. »I mean, Jesus! Your daddy is a billionaire, why would you run away from such a lifestyle?«

It was the same question so many people probably had had when the news of their disappearance first broke. Of course, all those normal people only saw two boys with a silver spoon in their mouths who were ungrateful because if they had been kidnapped, they would have either been returned or found dead by now.

»It's not that easy.« Diego groaned. Then again, if he wanted them to understand, what other way was there but to explain everything? »Okay, okay, okay. So, let's start at the numbers, I guess. Did you know that those numbers are our legal names?«

He was met with silence for a few seconds before Paul spoke up and he seemed a little more timid all of the sudden. »What?«

»Our father - well, if you can even call him that - bought us from our birthmothers. He didn't _adopt_ us. Not really. He bought us like furniture and he gave us numbers as names. For him, it was easier this way. It's not like he loved any of us anyway. We were an experiment for him, that's all we ever were. Our names we got from our Mom when we turned twelve.« A hollow little chuckle escaped him at that and he shrugged his shoulders. »And Mom-« Oh, how he missed her. »She’s just a robot so what is there to take away from the fact that a robot had more compassion for her children than a real human being?«

There was silence once again like a thick wall but now that Diego had broken the spell there was no going back for him anymore. and maybe it was good. Maybe they should shout it out into the world what kind of a person Reginald was. Klaus had joked once that they should write a tell-all book at some point.

»The numbers aren’t the worst, though. Being called by a number your whole life is dehumanizing and cruel, yes, but not the worst. Reginald … He really saw us as weapons, as soldiers. Children you have to raise but soldiers need training and so we were trained, not raised. From the moment we came into his care we were trained like dogs, trained to follow orders. Sit, speak, eat, sleep. There were only orders. We weren't allowed to leave the house. We weren’t allowed to form bonds with one another. We weren’t allowed to like each other even. We were always pitted against each other. I guess, though, that something like this is just inevitable when you grow up in a house with a robot, a chimpanzee and a cruel megalomaniac. We only had each other and no other place to go, after all. Just the seven of us, so what really did he expect?«

As he paused he looked out over the sea. It was quiet today. A few seagulls were circling their boat and a few miles out, Diego could see another fisher boat on the horizon. He felt almost at home out here.

»Anyway … The bad stuff was the training and the punishments, you see? We had to perform on the highest level every day and no kid, superpowered or not, can keep up with that. My brother Luther was forced to run track every day until he would pass out. He got his left knee messed up because of it when he was ten - not that this would have stopped him. It was more torture than training and when we wouldn't bring the results he wanted, when we wouldn't improve our powers every day we would get punished. Severely. Good old daddy dearest has always been fond of the cane, you see?«

Diego chuckled mirthlessly at his own joke. He sounded a lot more like Klaus now. They had always shared a sense of humor, always shared being sarcastic but this joke … That was Klaus rubbing off on him.

»And Klaus … He always got it the worst, I guess. Reggie seemed to outright hate him. He didn't love a single one of us but he didn't _dislike_ any of us either. He was indifferent, I guess. Just Klaus ... Something about him just rubbed him the wrong way, I guess. Perhaps it was because in his eyes Klaus is useless. He’s not a fighter, after all. Or maybe it was because Klaus wasn't able to improve his powers at all. He was always too afraid of the ghosts and what dad did to him didn't exactly help either.«

Maybe he shouldn't tell them all this. Maybe it was too much, too private, too personal. It felt good though to finally be able to talk to someone about it.

»Why did you run away?« Jack enquired again carefully. »You lived through this for such a long time, what was the straw that broke the camel's back? Why not wait another year until you would turn eighteen?«

As Diego looked at him next, he could clearly see regret in Jack's eyes. Regret for having bought the Umbrella Academy merchandise for his daughter now that he knew that those smiling faces on her lunchbox were all wrong and that the real kids hadn't had much reason to smile behind the scenes.

»Well … We fell in love, Klaus and I.« Diego shrugged as if this really was the entire answer. »It was inevitable, I guess. We were always close and at some point, it just clicked, you know? Anyway, Dad found out and was not particularly fond of the idea. He tried to split us apart again and for a short while he succeeded. He beat the crap out of Klaus and I was … such a coward. I didn't help him. I thought I would make it worse if I would try to help him. And then Ben died and … And I knew that if I wouldn't take him out of this house and run as far away as we possibly could, he would die in this house too.« He scratched his neck nervously as he grew aware of the shocked expressions on the faces of his colleagues. »So … If you wanted to sell us to Reggie, maybe you could … reconsider.«

»What?« Jack erupted. »Selling you to that madman? Of course, not! If anything I would like to rearrange his jaw. I am a father myself, Diego. I might be a stubborn asshole sometimes but I cannot stand people like your father. There is a special place in hell reserved for men like him.«

He didn't know what to say to this. It was the first time that he encountered people like those three. Maybe a part of him wanted to cry about all of this but instead, he swallowed those feelings and gave Jack a firm, grateful nod instead.

»The Kraken!« Paul sighed after a while with excitement clearly written all over his face. »I can't believe it! The Kraken of New Bern!«

※※※※※※※

When they had first set foot in the small coastal town of New Bern, Klaus had not expected that they would stay for such a long time or that they would be accepted with open arms and met with such kindness. The truth was, he was not used to people being kind to him in any way. To most people, he was a nuisance. He was too loud. He was too weird, too wild, too much _Klaus_. Most people always only tried to use him in some sick way. Most men, before Diego, had only seen a pretty face and a nice ass. They had only seen something they could stick their dick into and Klaus had obliged too willingly sometimes because he knew what kind of pain not obliging usually brought for boys like him.

It had taken Klaus a little bit of getting used to as he first started to realize that the good people of New Bern were, in fact, that: good people who didn't want to use or abuse him or Diego. They had allowed them to stay, helped them to fall back on their feet after everything they went through without even knowing who they were or what they had already gone through on their journey. It was odd to Klaus. maybe he was a little paranoid but every day now he wondered when their luck would run out and force them to run away from this place again.

»Your father says that you should not worry so much.« Klaus said as he stifled a yawn. He felt drained and tired and that after only two customers in the corner of the little bookstore where he was allowed to hold his seances after the entire town seemed to have heard of them. It was a nice bit of extra income even though he didn't charge the people who came to see him. He told every one of his customers that he didn't expect money, that he only wanted to help but that they were free to donate a few bucks or food or old clothes for him and Diego. It seemed fairer this way. It seemed kinder. If he would still be on drugs, he thought, he would have charged those people hundreds of dollars without being able to actually provide them with anything.

His eyes wandered from Mrs. Reed to the man in the corner, an elderly gentleman with kind eyes and a cane he heavily leaned on. He had died at the ripe old age of eighty-one from a heart attack and now his daughter came to Klaus in hopes he might ask her father for advice regarding her wayward son. Apparently, those two used to be extremely close.

»He says that Jake will come around soon. He is a teenager and deals with a lot of stuff in his own little world. Your father’s death affected him a lot but your father promises that he always has his eyes on Jake and that you shouldn't worry too much about it. He’s a good kid, trying to figure things out on his own. He’ll come to you when he’s ready.« He paused to listen to the old man again before he added with a chuckle: »Oh and you should get rid of that wasp nest in your backyard soon.«

»What?« Susan Reed asked perplexed. »But it's empty. It has been empty for two years, Dad!«

»No, it's not.« Klaus shrugged. »The wasps lay dormant for whatever reason but soon this nest will be buzzing again and then you will have those wasps all over your kitchen. Better call an exterminator soon. Bill, he says, on Dalton Road. Oh, and stop seeing this Robert-guy. Apparently, he’s bad news.«

»God, Dad! You just don’t like him because you think he is a beatnik.«  

Klaus laughed a little at that just as he heard the very familiar sound of Diego’s voice from the entrance of the bookstore. »Klaus? You here?«

»Over here, Baby!« Klaus grinned. He enjoyed making his boyfriend a little uncomfortable in public and Diego always got flustered when Klaus would call him Baby in public. This time, however, as Diego stepped around the bookshelves to find him, he didn't seem flustered. The widest grin Klaus had ever seen played on Diego’s face.

»Klaus, you need to see that!« Diego grinned. »I-I mean as soon as you’re done here, of course.« He nodded with a polite smile at Susan. But the large woman just chuckled and rose from her spot.

»All done, Darling, no worries. I better get going before my father starts criticizing every life decision I ever made, right?« This time Diego did look a little flustered as he thought he had interrupted Klaus’ seancé. Susan left after she had grabbed her coat and only then Klaus got up and took his own yellow raincoat.

»Tonight, Baby, we are eating like kings! Susan provided us with her famed lasagna!« Klaus grinned before he pulled Diego in for a kiss. Whatever Diego wanted to show him could wait until Klaus had gotten his kiss, after all.

»Sounds awesome, but before that, I have to show you something!« Diego urged again. For once it was Diego who showed his impatient side as he grabbed Klaus by the hand and more or less pulled him away from his makeshift little office inside the bookstore.

»Did you buy us a house? A nice little cottage on the cliffs?« Klaus laughed as they ran out on the streets.

»Close!« Diego laughed. »But so much better than a cottage on the cliffs, Baby.«

»Oh, Diego!« Klaus swooned and pressed a hand to his heart. »Are you finally treating me like the princess that I am?«

»Sure am.« Diego even pulled Klaus’ hand up to his mouth to place a kiss on it as if to emphasize his words. It didn't take long for Klaus to realize that they were headed to the spot where they had parked their car. It was an empty lot close to the harbor that was part of Tom’s property. Tom even helped Diego to take care of Martha on the weekends and Klaus would be lying if he said he wouldn't enjoy watching Diego work on the car in just an undershirt, wiping away sweat from his brow, his cheeks often stained in grease. Now was not the time.

As they reached the lot, however, there was more waiting for them than just Martha. Attached to her tow bar was an old caravan about as old as Martha herself. The paint of the caravan, a timeless vomit inducing beige, was chipped here and there. Time had not been good to it but to Klaus, as he realized what this meant, it was the most beautiful caravan he had ever seen.

»Is this … ours?«

»I know, I know … it needs a touch of paint and a few repairs but Tom’s brother gave it to him two days ago and he thought we might have use for it. Of course, if-«

Klaus didn't even let Diego finish before he jumped his boyfriend much the same way as he had jumped him the night they had decided to run away. It was only thanks to Diego’s good reflexes that Klaus did not land on his ass.

※※※※※※※

Klaus had done his damnedest to make that caravan into their home pretty quickly. His fairy lights had left the backseat of their car and transitioned into the caravan. Tom and his wife even had gifted them with an old mattress that perfectly fitted into the narrow niche of the caravan that had once held a bed. It still needed a little work and love but they had set up their new bed under the windows in the back of the caravan, far removed from the door.

»We even got a toilet, Dee!« Klaus sighed contentedly as he leaned in the door of their tiny bathroom that night. »You know what that means? We never need to piss or poop in the bushes alongside the road anymore, Baby! We are rising through the societal ranks like firecrackers!«

Diego had troubles biting down a laugh as he saw the glee in his boyfriend’s eyes. He was already resting comfortably in the nest Klaus had built for them. Very much naked, he might add. Klaus, on the other hand, was wearing still too many clothes for his liking. It was time he would lose those boxer shorts soon.

»You are lucky that I love you, Dingus.« Diego laughed because right at this moment, he had no reason not to laugh. Klaus had insisted on having Diego’s beard shaved off at last and Tom’s wife had been kind enough to allow them both to take a bath and had trimmed their hair. In fact, Tom and his wife had at this point pretty much adopted their nomadic neighbors. They were always happy to welcome them into their house and Klaus could often be found helping Tom’s wife around the kitchen when they would come over.

Life was good.

»You know, now that we have this beautiful home on wheels, I can be a proper witch, right? I could put incense burners everywhere and all kinds of occult crap! We could make a fortune!« Klaus snickered as he slowly walked over to the narrow alcove they had their bed in now. They definitely needed a few curtains as a divider between their bed and the rest of the caravan. They would get there eventually.

»Sounds good to me.« Diego smirked and sat up on the mattress as Klaus came to a halt right before it. He was gorgeous in the dim glow of the fairy lights strung up in their little niche. »You know what would sound even better?«

»If I would stop rambling and get naked?« Klaus huffed and wiggled his brows almost seductively.

»If you would stop rambling and let me take off those shorts for you.« Diego grinned in response as his hands lunged forward to grab Klaus around his narrow hips.

In this position, he reached just high enough to easily press his nose into Klaus’ stomach while sitting with a straight back. Just shortly he pressed his face into his flat stomach, nuzzled his nose against the soft warm skin and listened to the gentle sigh that escaped Klaus at the touch. His fingers dug into the softness of his hips and hooked under the waistband of his boxers. Diego didn't allow Klaus to enjoy the peaceful moment for too long as he hungrily bit into his flesh next and caused a startled little gasp to fall from Klaus’ beautiful lips. He worked slow as he dragged down Klaus’ boxer shorts and already felt his half hard cock underneath the thin fabric.

Klaus gave a small hum of approval as Diego freed his cock and allowed his shorts to drop to the floor so that Klaus could just step out of them one foot at a time. He held Klaus where he was for just a moment longer though as he pressed little kisses on his stomach, moving south slowly and nuzzled his nose shortly into the softness of his pubic hair before he allowed his tongue to graze just the tip of Klaus’ manhood.

There was no rush behind his actions, no urgency behind the soft moan that escaped Klaus as he rolled his eyes back. He meant to take his time, meant to shower his lover with attention and caresses as much as he could. It was the first time that Diego really felt like they made it. They had escaped their father and they had their first proper home in this trailer. They had stable jobs and the people around them accepted and liked them. They were part of something bigger and he would have never done this without this weird, beautiful, bubbly man.

At this thought, he couldn't help but pull Klaus down until he was forced to sit in Diego’s lap between his crossed legs. Klaus was already used to this position and quickly slung his long legs around Diego’s hips in the same instant as Diego conquered his mouth. He just couldn't help it. He needed to taste him, every bit of him, wanted to devour him and never let him go again. More often than not, Diego was filled with dread whenever he thought about the possibility of being separated from Klaus in any way. If their father would ever find them and take one of them away … He had promised Klaus to not come after him if that would happen but they both knew that he wouldn't stick to this promise. They were drawn to each other like magnets, always had been.

»So passionate tonight.« Klaus murmured softly against his lips as they broke apart for just a second. He enjoyed the feeling of Klaus’ slim fingers in his short hair and dug his own fingers into his soft curls in response. He smelled like green apples and melon and he loved it. »Is everything okay?«

»I just love you so goddamn much.« Diego replied quietly. It was not like him to be so sappy about this stuff. Yes, of course, he told Klaus that he loved him regularly even if it wasn't necessary but this right here was something entirely different, wasn’t it?

Apparently, Klaus could read minds too. That was at least what Diego thought as he pressed their mouths together once more and just as desperately as Diego before. He sometimes seemed so fragile under his fingers - As if he was made out of glass and every harsh word or touch might shatter him completely. He had always been like this and too many people had chipped away at him and left cracks in the glass over the course of those past seventeen years. Maybe Klaus would be just as lost without him as the other way around, he thought.

Their kiss became heated once again quite quickly. It was all tongue and teeth, hungry and impatient. As Klaus bit down on his bottom lip, Diego gave a soft moan in response and all too quickly Klaus had managed to wrap his left hand around Diego’s hard cock between them. Another moan tore from his throat at that. Klaus had mastered the skill of driving him insane a long time ago. He was always so impatient, though, always so eager to please him.

It took Diego a little more effort than it should to grab Klaus’ hand to stop him. »Not so fast.« He growled into the crook of Klaus’ neck before biting down hard on the sensitive skin and drawing a startled gasp out of his lover. »We have all the time in the world.«

Before Klaus could even begin to form his protest, Diego had already grabbed him by his hips and threw him down onto the mattress. He was above him within mere seconds. Klaus stared up at him wide-eyed and in awe. He knew that Klaus liked to be on top without actually topping for the most part. He also knew that he couldn't stand getting fucked from behind. He had tried it once - the thought of fucking him doggy-style arousing to him - only with the result that Klaus had tensed up completely and had become a nervous wreck. Klaus hadn't told him why and Diego hadn't asked. He could put two and two together.

He looked beautiful lying underneath him like this, his green eyes half-lidded and heavy with arousal. There was no protest from this loud-mouthed idiot, as Diego leaned down once more and started exploring the gentle curve of Klaus' neck with his tongue and teeth. His teeth were daggers digging into Klaus’ flesh, biting down near his collarbone and enjoying the flinch and gasp he could draw from Klaus like that. They had established a long time ago that Klaus liked it rough.

Klaus, however, was no one who would just lie there and let Diego do all the work. He should’ve known better than to expect Klaus to lie still for just a moment. While Diego was exploring, Klaus used this moment of inattention, as he wrapped his long legs tightly around Diego's hips straddling them, before he threw Diego to the side and rolled over him with the very same moment. Diego felt how the air was knocked out of his lungs this time. He remembered showing Klaus this move during their wrestling sessions at the academy and the memory put a smirk on his face.

As Klaus descended down Diego’s body next, it seemed as if he wanted to spend ages on worshipping the sculpture that was Diego's well-toned body. Yet, he knew just how impatient the other teenager really was beneath all his bravado. Klaus seemed determined to prove to Diego, however, that he could indeed take his time, as he kept descending down Diego’s body with wet. Eager hands were tracing the arch of his pec and ribs on his way down to the solid ridge of his abdominal muscles.

Diego had always been more muscular than Klaus, broader than the Seancé, but that didn’t mean Klaus had anything to hide either. Sometimes, when he would stare at his adopted brother, he wondered if Klaus was even aware of how beautiful he truly was. Diego could spend hours and hours just watching his graceful movement, just the twists and turns of his expressive face, the twitching of those hyperactive eyebrows or how the light shifted in his eyes until it was almost impossible to tell if they were green or if they were blue. Green, Diego then had to remind himself. Green, green, green. Green like emeralds. Green like thick lush forests.

He didn't even pretend to want to stop Klaus as he sunk to the mattress between Diego’s legs next. Instead, he reached down to bury his fingers in Klaus’ dark soft curls while the other boy started pressing sloppy kisses to the silken flesh that was Diego's inner thigh. However, before Klaus could even protest, he was under Diego once more. The frustration he could see on Klaus’ face could only make him grin.

The frustration melted right off of Klaus’ face as Diego brought down his groin against him as Klaus’ cock was digging into his stomach. The deep moan escaping Klaus at sent shivers down his spine. Klaus' eyes were clouded with lust and wanton desire and he had no shame to show it. His cheeks were flushed, his skin sweaty already just from the heat of their bodies pressing together like this. skin against skin, nothing between them.

Diego closed his hand around their cocks to give them some few reassuring tugs, only to show Klaus that there was no turning back now anymore. No catastrophes denying Diego his price. Klaus moaned in sudden pleasure, rocking his hips slightly upwards to meet Diego, obviously no longer interested in winning a fight for dominance.

Diego's left hand was already slick with precum, as he moved his right hand gently over Klaus' left thigh. Gently at first, before he scraped with his nails over the sensitive skin, leaving behind deep red streaks. Klaus moaned louder. Diego grabbed his leg fiercer and moved it up, laying it with skilled ease atop his own shoulder, only so he could bite down hard on the tender silken skin. Klaus was gasping now, his breaths shallow and fast, sweat slowly dripping down his forehead.

There was nothing for him to use as lube. What little they had left was still in the glove compartment of the car and Diego was not about to run to the car naked.

»Suck.« He ordered Klaus as he pushed his fingers into Klaus' mouth. As a result, Diego had a hard time stifling his own moan, as he felt Klaus' tongue eagerly moving around his fingers, taking care to wet them as thoroughly as possible. This was a game for Klaus and Diego was about to lose.

As he took the fingers from him, Klaus was huffing with a sting of impatience. Sometimes Klaus would insist that it was one more of Diego’s superpowers to find patience when it least suited Klaus - like right now.

The moan that escaped Klaus as Diego breached him carefully with one slick finger, was darker and huskier than before. He added the second finger in an instant, the tension melting out of Klaus without much problem. They had danced this tango thousand times over and by now he knew Klaus’ body just as well as his own. As Diego shoved the third finger in, Klaus' nails were grabbing for support at the mattress, his breathing hard and ragged. There was a grin pulling on Diego’s lips as he leaned back down again and drove his tongue over the flesh of Klaus’ thigh that he still had at his mercy. He continued working him up with skilled ease until Klaus was a twitching and bucking mess underneath him long before he had even taken him.

There were so many things, Diego tried not to think about in moments like these and yet he always felt darkness creeping up on him when he could least afford it. So, he grabbed both of their cocks by the base of their shafts in one swift move with his free hand and started milking them with a deft twist of his wrist.

Diego slowed down the steady thrusts of his fingers, easing them completely inside and enjoying the tight heat around them as he gently stroked over the swell of Klaus' prostate. Klaus' moans turned immediately into short gasps, shocked about the pleasure his body was able to feel, despite all the times he had felt it before. It had taken Diego a lot of practice until now to turn Klaus into a shuddering mess underneath him just with his fingers. This time too, Klaus would lose it before he could even grasp the sensation and so Diego took the fingers from him with a soft chuckle.

Diego's shaft was already slick with precum, when he let go of Klaus' leg and sunk deeper between his legs. Klaus was like an open book to Diego. He felt his impatience and lust radiating from him like waves as Diego pressed his crotch up against Klaus’ waiting body and drew the swollen head of his of erection along the intriguing curve of Klaus' ass until it caught on the now slippery puckered skin.

It was a tight fit, it always was but that had never stopped them until now. »You ready?« He asked, his voice a dark and husky promise of the upcoming pleasure he was adamant to deliver. He only got a breathy whine in response as Klaus’ legs fell open wider for him, his hips bucking wildly against him.

»Dee…« Klaus groaned out, his green eyes focused solely on him now, glassy with lust. »Fuck me already!«

Diego reached down to hold himself in place, before pushing against the unyielding tightness of Klaus' body. In the beginning, Klaus would have gritted his teeth at the sudden pain when Diego had entered him but there was nothing of that now. Diego slid in almost with ease. There was no resistance from Klaus’ body, just the familiar welcoming heat of the other boy molding and melting around him as his cock dug a path for itself - only stopping as he was fully sheathed inside the other teen’s body with a gruff moan rippling through his body.  

Almost immediately, Klaus clasped his legs around Diego's waist to get him closer and aimlessly searched for his mouth – if only to suppress and quiet his pleasured moans. Diego would not give in Klaus' demands of a kiss though. Instead, he only grinned wider, though he could hardly hold back any longer, now that he was buried in the constricting warmth that was Klaus' body.

Klaus’ body was taut as a bowstring, while Diego rocked his hips forwards and fucked into the awaiting body. A yelp of pleasure was tearing from Klaus' throat, his eyes were rolling back and falling close as Diego sent waves of thickened pleasure flooding through his body, making him forget the sharp snaps of pain.

»Don't hold back on me, Baby." Diego growled biting down on Klaus' beautiful throat now all the more bared at him, as the boy arched his spine upwards. He could feel his pulse going berserk under his tongue, before Diego's thrusts crushed even harder into his body as if he owned it. Klaus' deep and throaty moans were now even louder than the wet slaps Diego produced slamming down into the other’s tight heat.

Oh, he loved how wanton he sounded as Klaus’ moans almost turned into screams at this point. And he loved to know that he was the only one to hear him like this. Forgotten were for a moment everything that happened in the past, every bad thing both of them had gone through and every man who had dared to lay a finger on Klaus before as Diego slammed into him harder. A small scream escaped Klaus as Diego simultaneously grabbed his cock with his free hand and started stroking him in tune with his thrusts.

He almost laughed breathlessly as Klaus threw his head back in frustration, before he grabbed him harder, stroking the tension out of his body. He fucking loved this. Yes, more than anything Diego enjoyed going slow on Klaus, he enjoyed having Klaus in his lap, enjoyed the deep lazy kisses when Klaus would ride him to completion but this too had its perks. At this moment, Diego only wanted to fuck the last bit of sanity Klaus still clung to out of him.

He wanted to urge him to slow down as he felt him clench underneath him but Diego himself did not want to slow down at all. Finally, Klaus' whole body was spasming in the sudden jolt of relief, his toes curling behind Diego's back and his spine again arching upwards.

It was this sight and the clenching of Klaus' body around him that made Diego's climax all the more intense when it hit him like a train. The sensation was insane. His body had never felt so caught in a riptide, never felt like he could barely move as he spent himself, riding his orgasm out while thrusting into Klaus and forcing his own body to keep moving.

Klaus was lying underneath him, when Diego finally pulled out of him, watching his own cum lazily dripping out of the other boy. And Klaus just laid there with his eyes closed, looking like he was not able to move his body past a few twitches.

Later, but not a long while later, Diego and Klaus had buried their naked bodies under their mountain of blankets. The nights were still cold. Spring was just coming around. Soon New Bern would explode in greens all over the place and they finally had a proper home. This caravan was not huge or pretty but now it was theirs.

Diego lay awake for a little while, listening to Klaus’ even breathing, focusing on the familiar weight of Klaus’ head on his chest, his ear pressing into his flesh right above his heart. Sometimes, in nights like this, when he would hold Klaus in a tight embrace during his sleep and hoped that no nightmares would come to claim his brother, he was afraid that someone might come and take all of that from them again. Tonight was the first night that Diego Hargreeves felt as if there was nothing he needed to fear.

 

**-End of Chapter 8-**


	9. Chapter 9

Sometimes, and Diego had learned that by now, a storm could creep up without anyone noticing it. Without any kind of warning. The sky would still be of a clear blue. There would be no clouds in sight. Everything would seem peaceful - just slightly off, just slightly more quiet than normal. Experienced seafarers knew how to read the signs and yet even experienced seafarers could get surprised by such a storm. Sometimes the sky would just turn black within mere seconds, clouds would gather in front of the sun by the will of the gods and unleash their fury upon the world.

The day began like every other day had begun for the past three months. It was almost June now, the weather had gotten better, the sun was stronger and the mood of most people was better. New Bern was still the same welcoming safe haven for the two runaways as it had been since they first set foot over the town line.

In the early morning hours, even before the sun had started to rise on the horizon, Diego had pressed a kiss to the sleeping Klaus’ lips, rose from their bed, got dressed and left his boyfriend behind to meet Tom and walk with him to the harbor.

He had always been an early riser, unlike Klaus and he liked the crisp morning air as they got the _Primrose_ ready and left the pier. In the beginning, he had been worried that Klaus wouldn't get up in time for his job at the supermarket. He had proven his worries wrong, though. This new, sober Klaus, was much more reliable than he would have ever thought possible at the start of their little adventure together. Until now, Klaus had never been late to work, let alone missed a day of work. He even seemed happy about his side job as a medium. People still flocked to him and asked him for his help and his advice.

He was proud of Klaus. He was proud of himself. He was proud of them and of the life they had built here. Maybe, Diego thought, they would just stay here. Maybe, Diego thought, they would be able to afford an apartment soon and just live here for real, become a part of this community for real. It was not San Francisco but he liked it here and Klaus seemed happy here. Life was good.

He didn't see the storm brewing on the horizon that morning.

※※※※※※※

It was almost lunchtime as Klaus looked at the clock over the cash register. He would buy lunch for Diego and himself at the little Italian restaurant next door and meet his boyfriend on the market. It was weird to Klaus how normal all of this felt. He had a stable job at the supermarket and the people liked him and his little seances. He had a roof over his head and a warm bed. He had enough money for food every day and even nice warm clothes. And, most importantly, he had the love of his life by his side.

Looking back on his life so far, thirteen-year-old Klaus who had first discovered that alcohol could keep the ghosts at bay, would have never expected a life like this. Back then, he had already seen his life spiraling out of control completely. He would have run away from home at one point for certain but he would have ended up in the gutter, selling himself for drugs and money to buy drugs. He might not have lived to see his twenty-first birthday or even his eighteenth birthday. Instead, now he was here in this new life like a normal person, living a normal life.

It was good. It was terrifying.

The truth was, his greatest fear was that he would fuck it all up. He tended to do that, after all. Sooner or later, he feared, Diego would see what a trainwreck he really was.

»Hey, Klaus!« His boss, the old Mr. Fergusson, suddenly called out for him. He was a man of many years and many grandchildren at this point. His once full dark hair was grey and thin now. He often claimed that he had started balding the moment his little girl, Julia, had been born. Mr. Fergusson was a good-natured, kind-spirited older gentleman who often welcomed his grandkids into the shop whenever his daughter or one of his sons were in dire need of a last minute babysitter. One of his grandchildren, a little girl named Lily, had a tiny bit of a crush on Klaus and would deliberately step on Diego’s toes whenever his boyfriend would come around when she was here. »If you're done over there, you can take your lunch break now!«

»Really?« Klaus called back from where he was crouched behind a shelf to get the cans back in order.

»Yeah, sure, Kiddo! It's a slow day today!« Fergusson laughed from behind the cash register. »Give Diego my best!«

Well, he didn't need to tell him twice! »Thanks, Boss!«

After that, Klaus was quick to hang up his apron in the back room then and leave the store. It was a nice sunny day and the nearby market was a beehive of activity. He could see Diego not too far away at his market stand selling the fish he had caught with his own two hands. Well, not literally with his own two hands. The clams he was selling, however, he had actually caught with his own two hands. By now he got used to the smell. Diego was too engrossed in his work to notice him as he was yelling “Oysters, clams and cockles!” across the square and so, Klaus just hurried over to the Italian restaurant next door.

Minutes later, Klaus came back out with a nice hot pizza he would share with his brother. On his way over to Diego, he almost bumped into some guy that had been looking over his shoulder instead of the direction he was headed into.

»Oh, sorry!« The guy addressed Klaus and tipped his hat at him before he even truly looked at him. As he did, he seemed startled by the sight of him.

»It's all right. No harm done, Sir.«

The man nodded quickly and hurried past Klaus with one last spooked glance at him. Confused, Klaus shrugged and continued on. In retrospect, he should have realized that this was the beginning of the end for their time in New Bern.

※※※※※※※

Maybe it had been a mistake to actually use his powers and make it somewhat of a business in this small town. Maybe, in the end, Diego had been right. Maybe he should have listened to his boyfriend for once in his life. Of course, no one would ever force him to admit this. Not even the guy who had cornered him and was currently forcing him into the police station. Okay, maybe he would actually admit that he had been stupid in his insistence of having everything under control.

A man had to admit defeat - at least when he was facing the possibility of being handcuffed and put behind bars. And not in a fun way either.

How that had happened, the keen observer might ask themselves. Well, to answer that question, one would need to backtrack a little. To be more precise, one had to look at the events that had started to unfold exactly one week ago as Klaus Hargreeves had almost run into some weird guy in a crappy old school felt hat and a trench coat that should have screamed P.I. at the youth. At that day, however, Klaus had been too occupied with his own little plans for the day. He hadn't realized what had happened at that moment out there on the busy market of New Bern. He had just brushed it off and moved on with his life, freed Diego from the clutches of Jack's wife and thus his work for a shared lunch break and sat down with him on a bench nearby to eat their pizza.

Later that same day, he had gone over to Mrs. Katz and helped her pack the last of the things she wanted to take with her as he had promised her somewhere along the lines. In return, Mrs. Katz actually gifted a few of her dead son’s clothes to him and Diego. Klaus’ wouldn't fit in them, Diego, however surely would and was now the proud owner of an old military vest from the ’60s.

And that was how the rest of his week went. It had been peaceful and quiet, nice - almost boring. They had been living their life without interruptions pretty much. Unaware of the man in the grey trench coat, the stranger, who had been following them around. Neither one of them, not even the ever-perceptive Diego Hargreeves, had noticed the storm brewing on the horizon until it had finally been too late.

Klaus had been minding his own business this evening as he left the supermarket after his late shift. The man had not outright attacked him, just waited for him outside the store. The moment he had addressed Klaus by his true name, and not only that but by his number, Klaus had known that he had fucked up big time with this whole seancé thing.

»You really should have kept a low profile, Number Four. It was not very clever of you to go all out and make a name for you in this town. Then again, your father said that you are not the brightest candle on the cake anyway. He misses you and your brother, by the way.« That was what the man had told him and that was when Klaus had started to run aimlessly even though he had known that it was futile.

Even at that moment, he had known that the guy probably knew where their car and their caravan stood. And if he had run to the harbor, he would have taken him straight to Diego. In the end, the man had had an easy time to outrun him and pressed him against the brick wall of some alley before putting handcuffs on him and taking him to his car. And now here he was, standing in the police station of New Bern looking at the ground like a kid that had been caught with their hand in the cookie jar.

»Klaus?« Sheriff Blake, a man in his forties who often came to the grocery store Klaus worked at, asked in surprise as the stranger led Klaus inside. Blake was a friend of one of Mr. Fergusson’s sons and an overall alright guy. »What seems to be the problem, Sir? And why did you handcuff this young man? I ask you to uncuff him right this instance.«

»Name’s DeWitt.« The P.I. grunted and Klaus saw how he tipped his hat out of the corner of his eye. Under different circumstances, Klaus would have laughed. This guy had probably watched too many old movies. Yet, he obliged Blake’s order to unlock Klaus’ handcuffs with a small click, shoving them back into the pocket of his trenchcoat.

»This young man is a wanted criminal, Sheriff.« DeWitt continued to drone on with one hand now shoved in the pocket of his trenchcoat. His shoes were dirty. Klaus could observe this quite well as he was still looking at the ground. »His name is Klaus Hargreeves and he is wanted for the violent robbery of one Mr. Todd Perkins in South Dakota. Mr. Hargreeves stole a bunch of clothing articles, some of Mr. Perkins’ personal items, and a few hundred dollars from the cash register. Not to mention that he hit Mr. Perkins over the hat with a vase, causing the young man to end up at the hospital with a serious concussion. His brother, Diego Hargreeves, is wanted for the same crime and, as far as I am aware, residing in this town as well. Not to mention that there is a nationwide search going on for those two young men, instigated by their father, Sir Reginald Hargreeves.«

»And I assume you have a proof for your accusations against this young man?« Sheriff Blake interrupted DeWitt. Bless his soul. »I am asking because this young man and his - if it's true what you claim - _brother_ , have proven themselves to be upstanding citizens and an intricate part of our little town ever since they came here.«

»Of course, Sheriff.« DeWitt smiled and lifted the briefcase he was carrying under his arm. »I have the evidence right here. You see, Sir Hargreeves actually hired me to find his missing sons to bring them back home safely. He is especially concerned about Klaus, for that matter, as he is a known drug addict and has even stolen money from his own father to feed his habit. Their father would be appreciative if the police of New Bern would help me in my quest of getting both boys back home so that the matter of the robbery in South Dakota, can be settled without further scandal. He will, of course, show his gratitude to the police station of New Bern with a generous donation in case of a fruitful collaboration.«

»Sir, I don't think-«

»Furthermore, I think it’s safe to assume that the car those young men are driving has been stolen as well. Not to mention the claims that these young men are participating in the crime of incest - Which their father, of course, would really like to keep under wraps.«

Shame burned hot through his entire body and although not a new experience, it was definitely a rare one. Klaus Hargreeves was known to possess no sense of shame 90 % of the time. He wouldn't feel so bad if this was just about him. However, he was dragging Diego down this rabbit hole with him and that he could never undo. Diego didn't deserve to be dragged back to their father's house. He deserved this new life he had built for himself here in New Bern. He was happy. He had a job he liked. He was accepted. Part of the community. No longer a stuttering little nervous boy.

The sheriff looked at him in concern as Klaus carefully met his eyes. By now, he was aware that most people in town knew who they really were but this other information surely came as a surprise to the sheriff. He was a thief. He was a criminal and surely the sheriff had not expected that. The worst, however, was not that his crimes had been laid bare like this in front of a person Klaus greatly respected and liked. It was not the robbery he was ashamed of.

The word incest hung heavily over his head now. It was such a dirty word. It was … horrible to hear. Not to mention that it was not true! They had no blood relation to each other. What they were doing was not a crime.

And yet, now the word was out in the world and in the heads of the sheriff and the other cops around who also knew the two boys. Now, suddenly, the relationship he and Diego had, was being dragged through the mud. It was devalued, defiled even. Suddenly, what they did was dirty and wrong.

»I only ask of you, Sheriff, that you take Mr. Hargreeves into custody and send some of your men to the harbor to fetch his brother. I am sure you want to investigate the claims I made thoroughly for yourself first before coming to any decision. In the meantime, I would like to inform the father of the two boys. Sir Reginald Hargreeves surely wants to fetch his sons himself and see that they are unharmed. Until then, the safest place for them will be here.«

Sheriff Blake cleared his throat awkwardly and gave a small nod. »Yes, that does sound to be the safest option, Mr. DeWitt.« He answered, fully aware, apparently, that DeWitt trusted on the stereotypical incompetence of small-town police. He then turned to look over his shoulder. The lobby was empty beside them. »Hunt!« He called over his shoulder and a second later, Hunt appeared in the doorway behind the front desk. »Please escort Mr. Hargreeves to our holding cells.«  

»Sorry, Kiddo.« Hunt, a tall burly black man, muttered as he took Klaus back to the holding cells after this. Klaus, however just shrugged.

»Not your fault.« He all but whispered and tried a cocky little smirk as he looked at the cop.

He felt defeated and small and he hated that his father had still so much power over him and his brother. He hated it. It wasn’t just the fact that the old man Hargreeves had so much reach and influence that he could ruin their life like this. No, it was the emotional toll all of this took on him and Diego. It might not be so often the case for Diego as it was for Klaus, but sleeping side by side had the benefit for Klaus to know that his brother too was suffering from endless nightmares sometimes. Mostly after they had heard their father’s voice on the news again by accident.

He glanced down at his wrist at that thought, at his tattoo. The only tattoo he had on his body that he had not gotten willingly or by his own choice. He remembered holding Allison in his arms after she had gotten hers. He himself had volunteered to go first. He had never minded needles, always wanted tattoos. This, however, was not a tattoo. It was a branding. Their father had marked them as his property, like kettle, like livestock.

To this day, he could hear the buzzing of the needle when it got quiet and the sobs of his sister in his arms. To this day, he could still see Diego trying to be tough and grit his teeth through the process. Even Luter and Five had shown fear as they had been sitting there waiting for their turn. For once, Klaus had been the brave one who went first and not Number One.

»So…« Hunt spoke up calmly as he opened the cell door and allowed Klaus to saunter inside. He seemed honestly hesitant to lock the door again now that he was inside. »You’re the umbrella kids, huh?«

»Yeah.« Klaus whispered. His voice was hoarse and his throat felt tight as he sat down slowly on the metal bench in the back.

Hunt let out a small hum and locked the door with a very final sounding thud. There didn't seem to be much judgment behind this sound, though. »This tattoo on your arm … Does that have something to do with the academy?«

»Yes.« Klaus mumbled. »We all have one. Well, not Vanya. Vanya has no powers and so she didn't get one.« He shrugged.

Again a small hum. »When did you get it?«

»When we were thirteen. Daddy dearest decided it was a good idea to brand us. Shortly after that, Five vanished.«

As he looked at Hunt, he could see something in his face that he couldn't quite pinpoint. Interest, perhaps. Curiosity for the Umbrella Academy, maybe. After all, they were famous. People were interested in them. Hunt didn't say anything else after that. He just left as the sheriff called for him again. He left Klaus in this tiny barred cell and the next time this door would open, Diego would enter the same cell. How would he ever be able to look his boyfriend in the eyes again?

He didn't need to wait long to get an answer to that question. An hour had ticked by until the door to the holding cells was opened again. Diego was not in handcuffs which meant that he had not resisted the arrest. Well, Hunt had gone to get him and Hunt was good friends with Pauly. He had probably told Diego that he needed to come to the station because of Klaus. Yet, as Hunt went over to unlock the cell, Diego went in willingly and without making any fuss. He looked defeated as he sat down next to him. To Klaus’ surprise, Diego still curled his left arm around his shoulders and pulled him close enough to press a kiss to his temple.

»I’m sorry.« Klaus muttered quietly. »It's all my fault.«

Diego didn't say anything. He just leaned his head against Klaus’ unruly mop of hair and was silent. Diego’s silence was worse than his fury.

※※※※※※※

The call came around five PM that afternoon. He was in the office of his father, together with his two sisters as it came and listened in on it. It was actually quite sad. They had been seven children once and now only three of them were left because one had died, one had vanished and two had needed to run away to be happy.

He only got Reginald’s half of the conversation and that didn't tell him or his sisters much, in the end. The only information he got was a name. DeWitt.  

As his father put down the phone, he seemed delighted about the news he had gotten. He spent a few precious seconds allowing his eyes to dart over his three remaining children, lined up in front of his desk like soldiers, with their backs straight and their chins raised. Vanya, always the most timid and passive of the bunch, had not even moved a muscle in her face during their father’s phone conversation despite the fact that Luther was sure that she, just like him, had a nagging feeling in the pit of her stomach what this was all about. Their brothers. His father only got so excited these days if he got news about Diego and Klaus. And whenever his father would be excited about such news, it meant trouble for his brothers. Just like last time, when they got the news and the footage of some surveillance camera showing how Klaus grabbed into an open cash register after beating up some guy and robbing him.

»They found your brothers.« Reginald announced as he got up from his chair. »They are currently in a holding cell in New Bern, North Carolina. Mr. DeWitt has managed to secure them until my arrival.«

»That's great.« Luther forced out and tried to sell his little lie with a small smile. It took a lot of willpower from him not to look at Allison on his right-hand side or Vanya on his left. All he wanted to do right now, was to run straight across country to this town and help Diego and Klaus. But now his brothers had been found. It had been months since he had last seen them. In December they had learned about the robbery in South Dakota in which Klaus and Diego had been involved and then silence ever since. Luther was relieved to hear that they were still alive and possibly fine. His relief was short-lived though. They were currently in police custody and would return to this house soon if nothing would change.

Well, he was actually happy at the thought of seeing his brothers again. He missed them. Dearly. And he knew Vanya and Allison felt the same way. Life in the academy was unbearable since they left. Their father’s reign of terror had only gotten worse, the drills harder, the punishments more ruthless. They had lost all privileges, Allison wasn't even allowed to visit her theater club anymore and Vanya … Well, for her nothing had changed all that much, he assumed. Life had gotten more dull, though. Bleaker. Sometimes he would sneak into Diego or Klaus’ rooms and just pause for a minute. Their rooms were like empty tombs. Almost he could still hear their voices when he would just stay still completely for a while. Almost he could hear Klaus’ full-body laugh or Diego’s snarky comments.

However, as much as he missed them and wanted them back, he rather wanted them away from this house and himself and happy instead of miserable and here.

»I will immediately leave for South Dakota. With the plane, I should be there before midnight.« Reginald took his cane as he stepped around Luther. »We will continue this tomorrow, Children. Number One, please tell Grace to prepare two rooms for your brothers downstairs in the basement. Maximum security.«

Beside him, Vanya swallowed thickly.

»Yes, Father.«

※※※※※※※

The tension in the cell was so thick it could be cut with a knife. Diego was angry but he refused to say anything. Klaus could feel Diego’s anger vibrate in his bones and he was right being angry. That was the worst about it. He was right. Klaus had messed everything up for the both of them. He had been too open, too loud. He had screamed from the rooftops who he was and now Reggie was on his way to get them.

The P.I., Mr. DeWitt, had told them as much half an hour ago as he had been accompanied by Sheriff Blake to see them. The sly grin on his face had told Klaus really all he needed to know about this man. He knew exactly what was coming their way. He knew how badly their father would treat them. He didn't care. Of course not. Only money was important for people like him. Klaus couldn't even fault him, actually. If their positions were swapped - No. No, he would never hand someone over to their abuser.

»I’m sorry, Dee.« He whispered into the silence of their shared holding cell. Neither one of them had spoken for quite some time now - At least not since they had gotten the news of their father’s certain arrival at New Bern. In fact, Klaus had a hard time even trying to speak. His throat felt hoarse and tight. He felt lost at the thought of going back home again. He’d rather die than entering this house ever again. And Diego … His brother would be locked into some water tank again to see how much longer they could stretch the time under water until he would pass out. Their father would now be more willing than ever to risk their lives, he assumed.

»I’m so sorry … If I hadn't been so stupid-« His voice broke and he was unable to do anything about it as he quickly, harshly, wiped away the first of probably many rogue tears to come. Soon their father would appear in this doorway and he would look at them with smug satisfaction as he had, at last, won this little game of cat and mouse.

He would force his boys in front of cameras and have them parrot to the public whatever speech he would have drilled into them by that point. He would come up with some elaborate story that would explain their disappearance and after the media frenzy would have died down, Klaus would be locked somewhere dark and cold again and Diego … Well, he doubted that he would be allowed to see Diego for a very long time.

He didn't mean to let out a sob at this thought. He didn't mean to tremble in the first waves of an oncoming panic attack. Diego was the only thing that had kept him sane in this house. Diego was the only thing that gave him a reason to stay sober. If their father would split them up once more … Klaus would take the first chance he would get to jam a needle back into his arm and give himself a deadly dosage. Being dead was better, in the end. Maybe that was weak, yes. He had never suggested that he was anything but weak.

The trembling wouldn't stop as he leaned forward in his seat and dug his fingers into the fabric of his jeans. He couldn't breathe. He tried to fill his lungs with ragged breaths but they wouldn't come out and no air would flow into his lungs. He could feel his heart hammer against his ribcage. Screwing his eyes shut against the horrors around him, he could only see stars and the afterglow of Ben’s sad frown from the corner of the cell. There was no sound reaching his ears but the rushing of his blood through his body and the steady shrill beep of something else that didn't allow him to hear anything but that.

Diego’s hand was warm on his own. He was fire against his ice. It had always been like this. Diego was fire and he was ice. Diego was the sun and he was the moon and without him, he would freeze to death.

It was his instinct that told him to push Diego away as he felt the other boy’s arm snake around his thin shoulders. He didn't. He couldn't. Diego was his lifeline and the pathetic truth was that Klaus didn't want to die. He was afraid of dying. Not afraid of the possible pain involved in that. Afraid of what would come after. Afraid of falling and falling and falling into an endless black abyss of nothingness. So he melted against him instead as Diego pulled him into a tight embrace and rested his chin on top of his head.

»I’m so so sorry.«

»Shhhh.« Diego whispered calmly into the silence of their cell over his ragged breathing and his choked little sobs. »We’ll get through it. Like we always do, Baby.«  

»No. No, no we won’t. We won’t. We won't.« He hiccuped. Diego might want to try to calm his nerves, might try to cheer him up and give him just that much hope to hang on for just a little longer until the next opportunity for them would arise to escape their father’s cage. It was futile. Darkness had already closed her arms tightly around Klaus again like she used to before all of this. By this point, she was just an old friend and he was ready to greet her as such.

Diego didn't say anything else after this. He just stayed like this, pressing his cheek against Klaus’ head then and took deep steadying breathes with Klaus.

As the door to the room was opened, Klaus almost jolted but Diego kept him where he was and didn't allow him to move. His fingers were digging into his shoulders just that much more as he held onto Klaus protectively. He was too afraid to look at the door. Scared he would be confronted with their father but the man who cleared his throat at the door wasn’t his father.

»We have confiscated your car and your caravan.« Sheriff Blake stated calmly and stepped over to the door of the holding cell. Only then did Klaus lift his head just enough to look at the cop. He seemed oddly nervous. »It's parked out back. Mr. DeWitt is currently on his way to the airfield a little outside of town to pick up your father when he lands. He is expected to be back with your father in an hour.«

Why was he telling them all of this? He probably had to inform them. Klaus would much rather not know anything though. He just wanted to wallow in his misfortune.

»Do you need anything else? Water? Are you hungry?«

Klaus shook his head because he didn't trust his voice anymore.

»No, thank you, Sheriff.« Diego muttered with a small cough. »Thank you for informing us.«

The sheriff gave a small nod and turned around to leave again but then he stopped once more to turn back to the two boys in the holding cell. The way he was worrying his bottom lip between his teeth made Klaus think that he was going through some sort of dilemma. In the corner of the cell, he could see Ben flicker a bit. He was exhausted.

»I have three boys, you know.« Sheriff Blake suddenly started out of nowhere as he came back to the cell. »And if one of them - just _one_ \- would run away from home and go as far as to rob a store and steal a car just to get away, I would ask myself what I did wrong as a father. Your father obviously did not approve of your relationship and I guess that everyone has a different opinion about it. In my book, you are not hurting anyone with it and you are not breaking the law either. Your father seems to be a sensible man, intelligent enough to know that your relationship alone does not warrant this level of outrage that would prompt two of his sons to run away from him.«

Klaus finally sat up straight again on the bench and quickly rubbed the tears from his face. His eyes were probably puffy and red by now. As he looked at Diego now in confusion, he could see the salty tracks of dried up tears on his own cheeks. Diego was not one who cried easily. Their father had beaten that out of him as he had beaten every bit of softness out of Diego. He was just as afraid as Klaus was. Of course, he was. His strong, reliant, beautiful Diego was, in the end, just as scared shitless as Klaus was.

»Officer Hunt told me about that tattoo on your wrist.« Blake then stated and pointed through the bars of the cell at Klaus’ left wrist. »You told him that all of you got this same tattoo when you were thirteen?«

Klaus nodded and then with a shrug, he added: »Yeah … Dad wanted to … He thought it would strengthen the team spirit. We just had our first outing as the Umbrella Academy.«

The look on Blake’s face was unreadable truly. »So your father hired someone to do this to you?« Diego and Klaus both nodded and Blake let out a sharp whistle. »You do know that this is abuse, right? Did he do anything … else?«

Klaus’ heart rate perked up at that. He felt nervous. Energy was buzzing through his entire body as he quickly exchanged a nervous glance with Diego. His brother too was now worrying his bottom lip between his teeth and cracked his knuckles like he always did when he needed a distraction or was getting nervous. Neither one of them knew if they should tell the truth or play it safe instead. In the end, it was Ben, still flickering in the corner who looked at Klaus with a little smile.

»Tell him.« Ben urged. »He wants to help.«

 _He can't help_ , Klaus wanted to say. Before he could say anything, though, it was Diego who spoke up. »He beat us.« His brother decided to say at last, finally breaking that vow of silence that all the Hargreeves' children seemed to have agreed upon so many years ago. »Whenever he deemed it necessary as means of punishment, he beat us with a cane - sometimes with his belt. He kicked Klaus in the stomach once until he almost passed out. He locked us up in this house, sometimes in our bedrooms, sometimes … somewhere else. We were never allowed to leave the house. We were isolated and pitted against each other.«

»Everything got so much worse after Five vanished.« Klaus whispered. »Before that … he was almost bearable. After Five vanished … he became a monster and after Ben died … After Benny died-«

»Please, Sheriff.« Diego interrupted as Klaus’ voice broke off again. »Please, we can't go back there. He won't stop until his insanity and his obsession with us being superheroes has killed one of us. Please … Please, don't allow him to take us. We … We are happy to g-go to t-trial and be s-s-s-ent t-to p-p-prison but … not t-there. We c-can't g-go b-b-back.«

It broke his heart as Diego started to stutter. It always did. His strong beautiful boyfriend with the easy smiles and those calloused hands … He sounded so small and vulnerable like this. He couldn't stand it. Diego was never meant to sound so small and he hated it so much that all of this was his fault. There was just no other way around it. Fuck.

»There is not much I can do for you, kids.« Blake said and Klaus’ heart dropped a little. Of course, he couldn't help them escape. He had to do his job. »I mean there is a security camera here. Granted, it's an old model that does not record audio and is prone to cutting out entirely sometimes but … Well, how would I explain why I let you out? I can’t just let you leave, right? As much as I want to. And even if you would manage to sneak out of this cell on your own if I, let's say, dropped this hairpin right here,« He lifted a small metal hairpin that he pulled out of the front pocket of his shirt just so discreetly that the camera would not pick it up. »you would need to sneak past the front desk. Well, I suppose that Hunt and I are alone right now as the rest is on patrol and since we are only human and need to take a break sometimes too the front desk is not always occupied … Still. The chances of you getting out of this station let alone this town without knowing that your confiscated car keys are in the top drawer of the front desk, are highly unlikely, Boys.«

He dropped the hairpin without taking his eyes off of them before straightening his back again. »I’m sorry, Boys. I really wish you just the best but I cannot help you.«

With that, he nodded again and turned around to leave them behind. Neither one of them said a word for a few moments. They just stared at the door that had closed behind the sheriff in awe - maybe even shock.

»The camera just cut out.« Ben smiled and pointed at the camera in the corner of the room that was directed at the holding cell. The little red light was black now. Apparently, Diego didn't even need a cue. He suddenly jumped up from his spot and grabbed the hairpin from the ground. His brother made quick work of the lock of their door. He had learned how to pick a lock early on in his life. They all had. Their father had deemed it a useful trait to teach them for possible missions.

»I got it.« Diego muttered. »I got it! Klaus, come on we need to hurry up!«

Neither one of them wasted another second. The camera might cut in shortly again and so they rushed out of the cell and then out of the room. The front desk was empty and the lobby discarded. God bless Sheriff Blake and Officer Hunt. After dipping behind the front desk and rummaging through the front drawer quickly, Diego had found their keys. He grabbed Klaus’ hand as he pulled him to the door and despite all of it, despite even the help of the sheriff, Klaus’ heart was racing like mad in his chest. His fear was too large. He was too afraid that they would run straight into their father next.

That, however, did not happen.

Diego pulled him along as they hurried around the building and into the parking lot. There their car stood with the caravan. There was no second to waste for either one of them as they jumped into the car and fired up the ignition, no time to be sad about leaving New Bern behind like this in a hurry. No time to mourn what they had just lost.

Only as they drove over the border of New Bern and into the night, Klaus took a deep breath. In the distance, he could see an airplane land far away from them, its lights glowing in the night sky and Ben behind him on the backseat let out a whistle. They made it. They managed to get away once more. However, in getting away they were leaving behind everything they had built for themselves. They needed to start over again. They had been happy in New Bern. Strangely, weirdly, crazily happy. And now they were once again facing some uncertain future.

»I’m sorry.« Klaus mumbled once again into the darkness of their car. Diego didn't answer him. His eyes remained stoically on the road ahead, tension evident in the curve of his dark brows. This time, Diego pulled away as Klaus reached over to take his hand.

 

**-End of Chapter 9-**


	10. Chapter 10

It felt like they had left New Bern a lifetime ago. It felt like their time, those precious few months in that small coastal town of New Bern had been nothing but a dream. And now, after allowing himself to dream for such a long time, after allowing himself to be happy and content somewhere, reality was knocking the wind out of him every day.

San Francisco was one giant place. With its 805,235 inhabitants, it was a whole lot bigger than their hometown. Sometimes, Diego thought that his boyfriend had underestimated what they were trying to do. In a city as huge as this, it was hard to find people like they had found in New Bern. The people in the city were a lot more distrusting of strangers, oddly enough. No one was stopping to look at their little circus act at the side of the road or in the park to donate a few dollars to them as people had everywhere on their road to San Fran.

They had quickly perfected their little acrobatic number along the way until they had reached the city a few weeks after they had left New Bern with a heavy heart. Klaus was, as Diego could very well confirm, quite flexible. And so, whirling him around or lifting him up high, trusting that Klaus would do his part was actually quite easy for Diego by now. Klaus, much as he himself, seemed born to be an acrobat.

In a city as big as this, they had quickly realized that they would not get very far with just some acrobatic little circus tricks together. And so, in the midst of a heatwave in July, Diego had started working at random construction sides. He would wait at the same street corner every morning until some guy in an old truck would pick him and a few other Mexicans or Poles up to bring them to some new construction side. Now that September was rolling around, it was his second month in a row that he was doing this. Diego would not always get picked right away. Sometimes he would stand at the corner for hours until someone would offer him work, delighted that he spoke English, unlike most other young men at that same street corner.

He hated it. He hated every second of it.

Of course, it was good hard work and he earned good money for his work but he hated it still. He hated the danger involved in it. There was no insurance for people like him and they were always at risk of getting caught by the police. Diego tried to keep a low profile after what happened in New Bern though - and so did Klaus. Apparently, his brother had finally learned his lesson and it had only taken him losing the only home they had known after the house they had grown up in.

For a while, after New Bern, Diego had been furious with Klaus. He had even blamed him once that Klaus had only done this whole seancé stick in New Bern for attention. Three months in San Francisco had told Diego, however, that Klaus working with the spirits of New Bern, had actually been good for his brother’s well-being. Both mentally and physically. Actively working with them had meant for his brother that they had allowed him to sleep as they had not constantly tormented him. Here in the big city and with no real outlet for his powers, Klaus seemed withdrawn sometimes, nervous, jittery. He was afraid that his brother would relapse being surrounded by temptation.

Klaus had told him once, a few weeks after they had reached the city, that the ghosts here were louder and even more aggressive. He missed New Bern just as much as Diego did.

It didn't help that Klaus had picked up work as a waiter in some gay bar in the Castro District where temptations were high and always at the forefront of Klaus’ mind. Diego would pick him up every night just to make sure that he would come home to him unharmed. He didn't like it that Klaus was working at such a facility. Of course, Klaus told him again and again that his boss was nice and that most patrons knew not to bother the staff but … Diego didn't trust those men.

Maybe he would have been jealous or even more distrustful of Klaus a few months ago too. He knew that his brother liked to flirt with the customers and he knew, logically, that Klaus was right when he told him that he only flirted with those men because it meant they would leave bigger tips for him. They needed the money and still, Diego hated it. He hated everything about staying in this city.

What if he wouldn't be there in time to pick him up at some point? What if some guy wouldn't take no for an answer then? He was scared for Klaus. Klaus, who loved the dangerous thrill of the chase and yet seemed always so unaware that he was, in fact, swimming with sharks every night. Despite what they had been through these past months … Klaus was still so reckless sometimes.

Well, then again weren’t they both just reckless idiots?

That was the thought that crossed Diego’s mind as he lay there on the ground, flat on his back and stared at the azure blue sky. Okay, maybe Klaus had been onto something when he bitched about Diego not wearing a harness when he would climb up and down the scaffolding. It wasn't that Diego had outright refused wearing one either. There just weren't enough for all the illicit workers like him. Safety precautions were lax when it came to people like them. Accidents were swept under the rug. And Diego was a good climber. He was like a cat. Always landing on all fours - except when he wasn’t.

Oh, Klaus would have a field day with this. Diego Hargreeves, falling from the scaffolding and breaking his left arm. Awesome. Just awesome. He had warned Diego about it and Diego had played it off as unnecessary worry from his boyfriend the same way Klaus was playing Diego's worries down when it came to the men at the bar.

»Yepp, that looks broken, alright.« The foreman, a tall Irish guy with a flaming red beard and thinning hair, stated dryly as he looked down on Diego while he laid there and wallowed in his misery. He had come to this same construction side for three weeks straight now every day and he knew that he was one of the best workers they had here. He made good money here. That was over now. Fuck. »Pedro, take him to the ER.« The foreman then called for one of his regulars and though Diego wanted to protest because he didn't have any money for the hospital, he knew that there was no other way.

Good thing he was a pro at sneaking out at this point.

※※※※※※※

Diego’s injury was devastating for them both. He tried not to show it too much but Klaus had been afraid and wrecked when his brother had shown up three nights ago at the bar with his arm in a sling and sheepish little smile on his face telling him that he had been right with the whole harness thing. It was awful. Yes, of course, Klaus still had a job too and he was making good enough money but not nearly good enough to provide for the both of them. Diego's paychecks had always been fatter. Of course, they were. His work was much more dangerous while Klaus was just scurrying around a bar and serving drinks to random men.

In the beginning, Klaus had tried to find work as a construction worker too but no one wanted to hire his skinny ass for such hard work. Maybe it was better this way too. Klaus was, after all, so prone to accidents and injuries. Finding work at this bar, the Walker’s - named after its owner Josh Walker -, had been a godsend. Of course, he had only gotten the job because of his fake ID. It wasn’t that big of a deal to Klaus. Diego and he would turn eighteen next month anyway. Until then, Josh didn't need to know that he was employing a seventeen-year-old boy in his bar.

After not being so successful in finding work as a construction worker like Diego, Klaus had roamed the streets and asked practically everywhere for a job only to be sent away again and again. Sometimes he had found work for a day or two. Sometimes he had been forced to beg at the street corner. Sometimes he had done some stupid acrobatic little tricks at the street corner or in the park - which was way less fun without Diego anyway.

Diego had not been a fan as Klaus had decided to venture out to the bars of the Castro District of San Francisco. The drugs. That was the main thing Diego was afraid of and Klaus couldn't even blame him for that. The men - only another threat to their relationship. Yet, after being sent away at three other bars, Klaus had finally found an open ear and a heart willing to help in Josh Walker. He had offered him a job as a waiter for the start, just to see how he would behave around the customers.

Josh was a reserved older man in his late forties who had always dreamt of having a bar like this and had thrown his solid and well-paid office job away to fulfill this dream a few years ago. Much to the dismay of his long-term partner Mark and their three dogs. Josh was a good boss who could hardly afford to employ anyone else. Still, the pay was not too shabby but the biggest part of it was the tips he would get. Besides Klaus and Josh, there was just one other waiter, Tommy, who would usually take the earlier shift now that Klaus was here too. And, well, a boy like him usually got a good amount of tips especially when he granted a smile or a wink or some lingering touches to the patrons.

With both of them working, Klaus had thought that they soon would be able to afford rent for some small apartment and no longer live in their beloved little caravan. He dreamed of a crappy one-room apartment with a window in the ceiling so that they could see the stars while they slept. He dreamed of finding a purpose, building something up again after New Bern. The same thought that filled him with excitement, filled him with terror at the same time though. It was the fear of losing it all again because of his own stupidity like last time.

Diego might have forgiven him by now but that didn't mean that Klaus had to forgive himself, right? He could hold a grudge against himself for quite a long time, actually. He was pretty good at being petty and he always made sure that no one hated him more than he hated himself. Then again, there was no denying that there was a wall between Diego and him now. The wall might not be thick or very high. It was still there though. When he would press his ear against it, he would hear his boyfriend do the same on the other side. They had both lost so much when they had been forced to leave New Bern - more than they both had realized at the time. It was more than leaving behind new friends or their jobs.

Things seemed different in San Francisco. Things seemed a little harder, a little more complicated. There was a distance between them. Where Klaus would have usually told Diego everything about his day, he was now starting to keep his mouth shut because he didn't want Diego to get mad. He knew that Diego did the same thing too. So, he didn't tell him about the ghosts. Not much, anyway. He told him how loud and aggressive they were but not how plentiful. He didn't tell him that he could hardly sleep at night because they were screaming so loud that sometimes he couldn't hear Benny over them - or Diego. He didn't tell him about that one ghost in the staff bathroom of the bar who would always hover right behind Klaus, watching him while he was in there. He didn't tell Diego how he tried to stop using the staff bathroom altogether.

He didn't tell Diego either about the advances some of the patrons would make towards him. It was understood that they would - at least in Klaus’ mind. There was no need to tell Diego that and bother him with this knowledge. It was part of the job and Josh had warned him about it from the get-go. It didn't make it any easier though when one of the older guys would slap his ass or pull him closer or whisper dirty things into his ear. Klaus could only bear it with a grin and act as if none of that really mattered. He didn't tell Diego how dirty he sometimes felt when he would leave the bar with him in the middle of the night, a few hundred bucks in the back pocket of his jeans. Sometimes this work was like selling his body. Not that it would be the first time.

Klaus had decided to keep things secret from Diego that would sometimes happen. It had been a conscious decision and he didn't regret it. It was better if Diego wouldn't know how there was this one guy at the bar who would whisper into his ear how he had been masturbating to the thought of fucking him in the dirty bathroom stall before pressing a few bucks into Klaus’ hand. It was better this way.

»You seem worried, Sweetheart.« One of his most loyal customers smiled at him as Klaus put down a glass of Whiskey in front of him. Daniel Westbrook was definitely a good looking middle-aged man and a regular at this place. He seemed to have taken a liking to Klaus quite quickly after he had started waiting tables at the bar. At least Daniel was more subtle about it than some of the other guys that were already staring at him like wolves from the shadows.  

»I seem worried?« Klaus snickered and pressed the round tablet against his chest after he had served the drink. »I’m never worried.« In this bar, he kept his smiles easy and his posture approachable. That was just part of the job even though Diego hated it. Diego was a jealous guy so he had not expected anything else from his boyfriend. Of course, Diego was jealous. Of course, he didn't like that Klaus would flirt with his customers. The most afraid Diego was of the temptations in such a place.

There was no denying that the temptations were very real too. More often than not, one of his customers would offer to buy him a drink and every time Klaus would force himself to decline. It wasn't easy. There was this constant itch to give in, to throw away all the progress he had made. If he would just give in, the ghosts would stop tormenting him. However, Benny was always there with him, hovering in the corner or trying to calm him down when he would go into the basement to fetch something for Josh. Poor Benny had to talk him down the ledge more often than not.

»Did something happen, Darling?« Daniel asked as he took a sip from his drink. He was an architect and pretty well off. Under different circumstances, Daniel would be quite the catch. He had money, was good looking and very much ready to play sugar daddy for a young boy like Klaus.

»My boyfriend had an accident at work.« He then shrugged. At first, Klaus had tried to keep it a secret that he did have a boyfriend - To get more tip money from the guys at the bar. Diego showing up every night to pick him up and possessively putting his arm around his shoulders had quite quickly destroyed that idea, though.

Not that many of the men who liked him would care much about him having a boyfriend. There was nothing money wouldn't be able to buy, right?

»Oh?« Daniel replied concerned. »Is it bad?«

»He broke his arm.« Klaus sighed as he allowed just this little bit of insight into his life now. Daniel surely was only trying to get Klaus to lower his guard around him but sometimes Klaus thought, that they could actually become friends as soon as Daniel would stop hitting on him. At least Daniel would do so in a playful and, frankly, quite charming way. »Of course, only because he didn't listen to me and fell from a scaffold at the construction site he was working at. It's not so bad but … Well, money is tight anyway. I’m thinking about looking for another job or a second job. His injury already put quite the dent in our budget.«

»If you are short on money, I would be happy to lend you a helping hand, Klaus. You know that, right?« The look in his eyes conveyed quite thoroughly what he would want in exchange for that money. Klaus was not dumb. He had done this before. There had been a time before Diego, after all. A time when he had happily went to bed with strangers for money and drugs. A time when he had happily thrown away his dignity and his innocence - or what had been left of that anyway.

»Thank you.« Klaus smiled and took a step back from the table. Just a tiny step so that it wouldn't look like he was outright abhorred by the idea. »If it's getting too bad, I might come back to it but for now we are good. We just have to be more careful with our money. We have had much harder times. We’ll get through this as well.«  

»I understand.« Daniel smiled easily and downed the rest of his Whiskey at once. »Hey, Klaus, I wanted to ask you something else, though.«

»Oh?«

»Yeah, there's this gallery opening in a few days. One of my friends expect me to show up, you see, and I told him I would bring someone. He tries to set me up with one of his rich doctor friends all the time so if I would show up alone again, I’m afraid there will be nothing saving me this time around from one more mind-numbingly boring conversation with some old guy in a suit. Would you mind coming with me?«

Klaus was taken aback by surprise and scratched his neck nervously. »I don't think Diego would like that.« He offered a bit helplessly. »And I don't have anything proper to wear either.«

»You know, Klaus, I understand that your boyfriend is careful and worried about you. You are such a pretty little thing, after all. However, I don't think that the level of control he has over you is very healthy. You need to make your own decisions. What is a relationship where one partner doesn't trust the other even worth?«

His words cut deeper than Klaus was willing to admit. In a way, Daniel was right. Diego was quite controlling. Especially after New Bern. It was understandable though, wasn’t it? He was just trying to watch out for Klaus. He was just worried that Klaus would do something stupid. Again.  He was just worried that Klaus would fuck everything up again.

»It would be a harmless night out, I promise. I would never do anything you wouldn't want to do. I would pick you up after your shift and bring you home safely before midnight. Of course, I would pay you for your inconvenience. And about the clothes, well, I am sure we could arrange something there too.«

»I … I don't know.« Klaus muttered. Of course, Daniel wasn't quite wrong. He couldn't let Diego control his life and yet … It was them against the rest of the world, right? Why should he not have fun with a friend though? Daniel was a friend, right? He believed him when he said that he wouldn't do anything to him. »I have to think about it, okay?«

He knew, of course, that he had already doomed himself. He should have outright told him no because with not telling him no, he had opened himself up to be asked again and again until Daniel would get what he wanted. Daniel had now become just one more ghost that was harassing him. A very much alive and very much obsessive ghost. A ghost who would be able to touch him. A ghost who would be actually able to harm him.

He should tell Diego about it. He didn't, though.

Needless to say, Daniel didn't stop asking him after that. Klaus told himself that it was only this one time. Of course, he didn't tell Diego anything about it and Daniel knew this as well. The night of the gallery opening, Klaus told Diego that he needed to stay longer at the bar to help his boss with the inventory and that his boss would deliver him to their home safely before midnight. He felt bad the entire night. After all, he had never lied to Diego and Daniel was not of much help in this regard, as he didn't hold back on little comments about Diego and this little secret they were keeping from him. He enjoyed the thought of having this kind of secret with Klaus.

The party was almost pleasant, the food good and Klaus dressed nicely in a pair of slacks and a button up shirt. It was a nice change of pace. He felt like he was actually living life again ever since leaving New Bern. Not just running away and hiding but actually living. And hadn't that been the reason why they had run away in the first place? To _live_? He changed into his regular clothes in the backseat of Daniel’s car that night and was delivered back home safely before midnight with Daniel playing the perfect gentleman.

Coming home that night to the caravan with his worn-out sneakers in his hand because his feet hurt so badly from the dress shoes he had been forced to wear, he found that there were still lights on inside the caravan. Well, of course, Diego always let the fairly lights on for Klaus when they would sleep. This, however, was more than that. He wasn’t that surprised to find Diego still awake and waiting for his safe return home. In fact, he let out a bubbly little laugh as he sauntered in through the door and found his boyfriend in a life or death fight with a can of ravioli.

There was a part of him that felt guilty as he helped Diego open the can and cooking the ravioli for him. He felt guilty for leaving him alone like this, unable to open that can with only one hand. H felt guilty for lying to him. He felt guilty for telling him that he had eaten pizza with Josh while doing the inventory tonight. He felt guilty as Diego pulled him in for a kiss and a hug by the stove, closing his good arm tightly around Klaus from behind as he pressed his nose into his neck and taking in his scent.

This night, it wasn’t the ghosts keeping him awake. This night it was the guilt gnawing at his insides and Benny’s disapproving stare from the corner of the room.

»You need to tell him.« Ben urged quietly as if Diego would actually be able to hear him if he would speak any louder. Klaus, however, screwed his eyes shut and snuggled up even closer to Diego.

※※※※※※※

Something wasn't right. He couldn't tell what it was but he could feel it in his bones that something wasn’t quite right with Klaus. At first, and he felt terribly guilty for thinking this, he thought that Klaus might have relapsed and was too afraid to tell him. Klaus seemed twitchy - even more so than usual. It had started two weeks ago, the night that Klaus had helped Josh doing the inventory and was persistent ever since. He seemed nervous, almost. Distracted, perhaps even.

Sometimes, Diego would pull Klaus closer and he would feel some form of resistance in his boyfriend’s body. Perhaps not even consciously. Something was on his mind and it bothered Klaus enough to make him withdraw from Diego time and time again. By now, Klaus was staying longer at the bar more and more often, getting dropped off at the street corner by Josh every other night. He told him that he would get paid more when he would work longer and that Josh needed to drive in this direction anyway. It wasn't a big deal.

To Diego it was.

Sitting alone in their caravan at night and waiting for his lover did awful things to his mind. At first, he had been afraid that Klaus would fall back into old habits, of starting to drink and shoot up again. Never had the thought crossed his mind that Klaus might start an affair with someone else. Of course, he was jealous and he didn't like it when Klaus would flirt with other guys but … In a way, he had always trusted Klaus not to do anything stupid in this regard.

The thought really came creeping up on him out of nowhere and he couldn't even quite tell why. It wasn’t like Klaus would be less affectionate with him despite sometimes tensing up or withdrawing from Diego altogether. First, he blamed it on the ghosts that Klaus didn't want to talk about but where clearly tormenting him again more and more. He could tell it by the way Klaus was holding himself that the ghosts had become worse again and that his control over them was slipping away more and more and more. It was easy to see when knowing Klaus’ tells.

Klaus would still come home to Diego and ravage him with kisses. He would still wake him up sometimes with his beautiful mouth around Diego’s aching cock. He would still drive him completely insane with the way he would move sometimes when he would just be wearing his underwear until Diego wouldn't be able to take it any longer and throw him onto their tiny table.

And yet, this creeping little thought, this snake in the pit of his stomach, was still there any active and loud, slithering through his organs, poisoning his mind. Josh wasn’t bad looking for a guy his age. Neither were some of the patrons of the bar.

Maybe it was jealousy that prompted Diego to leave the caravan this very night. He told himself that it was just worry. He just wanted to make sure that no one was harming Klaus in some way. He just wanted to make sure that he was well and properly taken care of. He just wanted to make sure that Josh was not overworking his boyfriend and that Klaus wasn't letting Josh overworking him because he felt he needed to provide for the both of them.

That was at least the excuses he had come up with when he had gone to the bar tonight. He had gone there only to find Josh alone behind the counter and only a couple of patrons left before closing. No sign of Klaus. And when Diego had asked Josh about Klaus, he had seemed confused and told him that Klaus had left hours ago. So, Diego had gone back home, seizing with anger, hurt by the lies his boyfriend spun to appease him. He waited on the metal steps to the door of the caravan and stared into the night until he finally saw the car stop at the corner down the street.

※※※※※※※

He should have known that lying to Diego had been a mistake from the get-go. He should have known that trusting Daniel had been a mistake. Because here’s the thing: Doing something, anything, with another guy behind one’s boyfriend’s back opened one up to blackmail.

It turned out, his date with Daniel for the gallery opening, would not stay a one-time thing. He should have known it. He should have known that Daniel would force him to go out with him more and more often and always under the thinly veiled threat of telling Diego about how Klaus had lied to him and betrayed his trust that first time around.

_»Wouldn't it be such a shame if we would need to stop having fun together? Wouldn't your boyfriend get super mad about it if he would find out? If I were your boyfriend and would learn that you would go out with another guy, I would flip my shit.«_

Maybe it was stupid and maybe he should have just told Diego right away but Klaus, in his grand naivete, had been certain that, if he would just go out with Daniel a few times, the other man would soon lose interest and leave him alone again. He had been sure that there was nothing special about him anyway that would warrant any deeper going interest. Sometimes it was still an enigma to Klaus just how and why Diego loved him in the first place. Daniel would realize that he wouldn't be able to get his dick wet with Klaus and then he would lose interest. That was the thought he clung to desperately.

He made sure to talk excessively about Diego and how happy he was with his boyfriend during every single one of their _dates._ To his dismay, that didn't really seem to bother the other man though. In fact, it only seemed to give him more fuel. And that too, Klaus should have expected. To Daniel, this whole thing was a conquest, an adventure and he would only stop when he would have been victorious.

Two weeks into this, Daniel’s hand found its way on his thigh as he stopped the car at the corner down the street from where he and Diego were living. That too was not too bad, he assumed. Daniel would often reach out to touch him in some way. Only when Daniel leaned over to kiss him, Klaus pushed him back carefully, with both hands flat against Daniel’s firm chest.

»I … I should go now. Diego is waiting for me. His arm is healing up good and he can probably soon pick up work again.« Klaus muttered and already put his hand on the handle of the car door as he spoke. As he went to open it, however, Daniel locked it and that was the first time that panic rose in Klaus’ chest. More so, when Daniel's hand wandered a little further up his leg. Behind him in the backseat, Ben grew restless.

Having Ben with him all the time during those dates was comforting in a way. It gave him just a little extra security even though Ben was still very much dead and thus unable to provide him with any real help if things would turn ugly for Klaus.

»Come on.« Daniel urged calmly and still with that winning smile on his face that would have made Klaus go weak a long time ago - before he and Diego had become a thing. »It's just a kiss. I mean … We had fun tonight, right? I paid a lot on that dinner … The least you could do is give me a kiss and then I let you go back to your canned ravioli in that caravan over there. Promise.«

There was a pit opening in his stomach. It was not about that kiss. It was about the way Daniel framed his request. _I paid a lot on that dinner. I paid a lot on you. I paid for you._ That was what he was saying, right? He was paying for this. He was paying to spend time with Klaus. He was paying for his affections. He was paying for his body. That was the endgame. His body.

»Don't, Klaus!« Ben urged furiously from the backseat. He wondered if his brother had had the same train of thought just now. As Klaus nervously glanced into the rearview mirror to look at Ben, he could tell that Ben would be willing and ready to release the Horrors on Daniel if he would be able to.

 _Oh Benny_ , he thought, _I fucked up, didn't I?_

»Don't join in on this spiel of his! He already holds too much over your head, Klaus. You’ll only make it worse for yourself if you kiss him now! Kick him in the balls and just run! Just run away and tell Diego! He will understand. He will get angry, yes, but he will get it.«

He couldn't do this. There was no telling what Daniel might do if Klaus would do as Ben said or what he would tell Diego if he would get angry. He could come up with all kinds of defamatory lies about Klaus and there was nothing Klaus could do to prove him wrong then!

He couldn't control the way his face suddenly morphed into a grimace of utter disgust. He had allowed Daniel to play him. He had allowed Daniel to wield such power over him. Again. He always seemed to get himself in situations like this with men having so much power over him. It seemed he would never learn his lesson. He knew that it wouldn't end with a kiss. He knew that it would only end when Daniel had finally been able to fuck him. And maybe not even then.  

»Just one kiss and then you’ll stop this, okay?« Klaus asked against all better judgment but with anger now clear in his face. »You know I have a boyfriend and I am not going to cheat on him or leave him for you.«

»One kiss, that's all I’m asking for.« Daniel smiled. He seemed so honest about it. Yet, Klaus could see the beast lurking behind his clear blue eyes. »And then I can wallow in self-pity for what I am never going to have, okay?«

»Okay.« Klaus sighed and tried not to stare at the satisfied grin of Daniel as he leaned forward and crowded Klaus in the small space he had on his side of the car against the door. Before Daniel’s mouth could lock with his, however, the door on the driver’s side was ripped open and Daniel yanked back by his collar and out of the car. Klaus was not even surprised to see a fuming Diego Hargreeves on the other side, pressing Daniel against the side of his own car by the neck with his one functioning arm. Even with one arm, Diego could be damn terrifying.

»What do you think you're doing, Asshole?« Diego growled before Klaus could even scramble out of the car, climbing quickly out of his seat and over Daniel’s seat into the fresh autumn air. »You’re that freak from the bar, aren't you? I’ll fucking rip your head off if you touched my boyfriend!«

»Diego, Diego no!« Klaus yelled as he pulled Diego back by his right biceps before his boyfriend could do anything else. »Everything is okay, I promise! He didn't do anything!«

Diego’s brown eyes were full of fury as he directed his attention at Klaus. Oh … Oh, he had fucked up big time. He was in big ass trouble now with Diego and he would much rather just run off. However, Diego let go of Daniel then and stared the older man down quite dramatically.  

»If you ever even breathe in his direction again, you fucking creep, I’ll cut your dick off.« He gave Daniel one last push for good measure and then put his arm around Klaus. A part of him wished that Diego would have beaten the crap out of this man. Sure, Klaus had gotten himself into this whole mess but Daniel … Well, he had tricked him, right? The grip Diego had on him was tighter than usual as he dragged Klaus down the street towards their caravan.

»I told you…« Ben muttered behind them and Klaus bit his tongue instead of telling him to shut the fuck up. The last thing he needed now in addition to Diego’s anger was Ben’s scrutiny.

»Okay, before you yell at me, Dee, I can explain.«

»Oh, so now you wanna explain to me why you are hanging out with a man twice our age when you tell me that you need to work overtime?«

»It's not what it looks like.«

»It's not? Then tell me, Klaus, what are you doing with this guy that you feel the need to lie to me?«

Well, what was he supposed to say now? No matter what he would say, he would only make it worse, right? Diego was walking so fast now, that Klaus was almost stumbling along while he heard Daniel take off in his car somewhere behind them.

»Okay, listen, I fucked up. I know I fucked up! But I promise you that I didn't do anything with him, okay? I would never-«

»He was about to fucking kiss you and you call that nothing?«

»I’m sorry, Dee! It just sort of happened, okay?«

»For how long is this shit going on?« He wasn’t even yelling. Oh, how he wished he was yelling! He could feel the anger vibrating from Diego’s body, felt then tenseness in his spine.

»Two weeks.« He groaned and wished he hadn't said anything. »But we only hung out, okay? He took me to parties or to eat with him, nothing more! It started when he needed a date for some stupid gallery opening and he wouldn't take no for an answer! I thought, if I would do it just this once, he would then just leave me alone! And he paid me for that evening as well and we needed the money! You just got injured and suddenly I was the sole provider! And that only happened because you didn't listen to me, Diego! Because you didn't take the dangers of the construction side seriously enough! But then he wouldn't stop and ask me again and again! And he knew that I had lied to you that one time and blackmailed me into going out with him! So … honestly, in all fairness this is all your fault.«

He knew that now was not the moment to be funny but usually this helped to calm Diego down enough to drop it or stop being angry. Then again, after New Bern, things were a lot tenser sometimes. They had lost a lot back then even though it might not have seemed that way at first. However, the looming threat of their father finding them had never been more pressing than it was since.

He had chosen the exact wrong moment to be funny as it turned out as Diego stopped and turned to look at him. »It's my fault?« Diego echoed. His voice was dark and his eyes laser-focused on Klaus’ face. Oh shit.  »It's my fault now that you are whoring yourself out?«

»I was not _whoring_ myself out, Dee!« Klaus replied a little louder than necessary. Oh, there it was again, the pit in his stomach, the knowledge that Diego was right. He had been whoring himself out - in a way. It would have come to this, sooner or later. »And I would have told you too if you would not always flip out as you do now! Daniel was right, you know? You are too controlling! You are too possessive! If you weren't like this, I wouldn't have felt the fucking need to lie to you in the first place! And if you would have been more careful then we wouldn't be in this situation now!«

He wanted to bite off his own tongue.

»Oh, you mean like you should have been more careful in New Bern? Or how you should have been more careful and not fucking robbed a store?«

»Come on now with those old stories!« Klaus growled. He could see Ben standing behind Diego and he seemed just as helpless as Klaus. No smart words now, huh? A part of him just wanted to apologize to Diego. A part of him just wanted to throw himself down on the ground and ask for forgiveness. A part of him wanted to curl up and sob about being so stupid and self-destructive all the time. Because that was what was happening right now, right? He was destroying everything again. »Sooner or later we would have left New Bern anyway! We wanted to come here, remember? That was the plan!«

He sighed as he brushed his hand over Diego's left arm carefully, trying for a softer approach now as his voice started to crack. »Listen, Diego … It's getting late and we are both angry. We should just go to bed and talk tomorrow, okay? No good will come from this now. Ben thinks so too.«

»No, I think you should discuss this now.«

»The most important thing is that I love you and you love me and nothing happened between me and Daniel. We just went out a few times because he is a lonely old man with a crush on me. As if I would ever take someone like him over you-«

»I can't trust you anymore, Klaus.«

It was like a bomb was dropped on his head. Those words hit him harder than any punch ever could. Until now, there had never been a question of whether or not they trusted each other. Diego sounded so defeated and exhausted and he hated it. Again, he reached out to Diego to touch his shoulder but Diego took a step back instead. He couldn't even look at Klaus anymore. Instead, he stared at the sky for a moment to gather his thoughts.

»Diego-«

»No … No, Klaus.« Diego shook his head at this and looked at the ground. »Remember what we promised each other? You and me against the rest of the world. No bullshit. No lies. I-I c-can't do this anymore, Klaus.«

»What do you mean?«

»I-I mean … ever since we l-left, you … you’ve stolen and d-did stupid shit without t-t-telling me that endangered us and y-you … B-Because o-of your recklessness we needed to leave t-the only place that f-felt like home. A-And every time I forgave you and I t-told myself that it would get better and that we are still a team, t-that I c-can trust you … But t-this … How far would this have g-gone b-before you would have told me? Y-You should have t-told m-me right away … You … Would you have e-e-ever told me? W-What i-if he would have tried to s-s-sleep with you n-next?«

»Dee-«

»You betrayed my trust, Klaus - O-One t-too many t-t-times and I c-c-can't do this if I c-c-can't trust you.« The way his brother’s voice broke as he finally looked at Klaus again broke his heart in a million tiny pieces. He had fucked up. He had fucked up so badly this time and there was no way to fix this again. Klaus knew that, no matter how much he would beg or apologize or try to get Diego to listen to him, there was no fixing this. Diego was not meant to look so hurt and defeated. Diego was not meant to look so heartbroken and lost when looking at him.

There was a wall between them. At first, it had been so thin that he could hear Diego on the other side when he would press his ear against it. Now it was so thick and tall that Klaus knew he would never be able to climb over it, never be able to break through it.

»I … I want you to leave.« Diego choked out as if the words pained him. Knowing Diego, it probably did. »I don't want you here.«

 

**-End of Chapter 10-**


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a trainwreck and so is Klaus.

_I want you to leave. I don't want you here._

Those words were still haunting Klaus now. Echoing in his skull over and over and filling every nook and cranny of his brain until he could hear nothing else. The nights of the dying September were growing cold slowly and being outside at night was not fun at all. He had no place to go either so he had gone back to the bar and caught his boss as he was closing down for the night. Josh had allowed him to stay the night at the bar so that he wouldn't be out and about and in danger. Alone in the darkness of the bar, however, it had been easy to fall into the darkness of his own mind as well.

Even days after that hellish night, Diego’s words were still with him. And around him, his whole life was falling apart.

»You need to leave, Klaus.« Josh sighed from behind the counter as Klaus came into the bar that day. Josh looked tired and grey, dark circles around his eyes that spoke clearly of a sleepless night. Under different circumstances, he would have asked Josh if his husband had kept him awake all night but seeing the way Josh looked at him, he knew not to be cute. Even he could read some social cues. He had spent all day walking around the city and trying to make a bit of extra cash here and there.

»What's wrong?« Klaus countered with a forced smile. He had told Josh that he and Diego were back together so that his boss wouldn't worry too much about him. Spending the nights on the street was no fun.

»You are a minor, that’s what’s wrong.«

»What?« He laughed and tried to make it sound as believable as possible while in fact, he felt all the blood drain from his face and his stomach open up to a pit now.

»Daniel told me.« Despite his initial calm, Josh seemed honestly disappointed in him. »He came by earlier and told me that you lied about your age to me. And apparently, you lied to Diego and made me your alibi for seeing Daniel. You see, Klaus, when I was your age I did many stupid things as well, so I get it. However, I intend to have a relationship of mutual trust with my employees at this bar and you broke that trust in lying to me. Not to mention the trouble I could get in if anyone would call the authorities on me for employing a minor.«

Again, Klaus laughed and took a step back, driving a hand through his curls as he tried to ignore Ben’s worried glance from the side where his dead brother was sitting on a table. »Yeah … Yeah, I get it.« He muttered. »’Twas just a matter of time until it would come out, I guess.«

»Klaus-«

»No, I get it! It's okay, really.« He smiled and opened the door behind him. »It was me who fucked up, so … Yeah … No hard feelings.« He was out of that door before Josh could even try to hold him back. Maybe it looked like he was fleeing from the situation and maybe he was doing exactly that. To Klaus, it didn't matter. He just wanted to leave and get out of there. He couldn't stand any more disappointed looks.

»Go back to Diego.« After losing his job at the bar, Ben urged him every day while Klaus was wandering the streets of San Francisco. »Come on, go back and apologize. You can still turn this back around, Klaus. You just need to pull your head out of your own ass.«

»You know what? Zip it, Ben!« Klaus finally turned at his dead brother in the darkness of the alleyway he had decided would be his bedroom for the night. »Shut up and just go away, okay? I don't need your fucking lectures, Benny!«

He was hungry and cold as he curled up on himself between the dumpsters in the alley. _Back at square one_ , he thought bitterly. In the end, he had finally managed to turn Diego against him. He should be congratulating himself. He had finally succeeded in destroying the one good thing he had had in his miserable little life.

As he looked up to the spot where Ben had been lounging on a trashcan just seconds ago, his brother was gone. Good. Not good for him, of course. Good for Ben. His poor dead brother would be better off not trailing after him any longer. It was time for Benny to move on, right? He should finally be able to go into the afterlife and be at peace, maybe he would even meet Five there.

And Klaus … Well, he was alone. Alone, how he deserved to be. Alone, after fucking up everything he had built for himself and Diego. The satisfaction of that thought tasted like bile in the back of his throat. It was then, as Klaus sat there and had only himself and his darkening thoughts to entertain him, that he thought back on the days when he had first realized what he felt for his own brother. Oh, how foolish he had been. He should have left the academy at that exact moment and never return. Maybe everything would have turned out differently then.

※※※※※※※

The realization came like a lightning bolt striking him in the middle of the chest. He had once read in some stupid romance novel that his mother used to read, that a realization like this came slowly and in waves. It was a tingling sensation in the back of the neck, an inkling of what was to come in the near future. Butterflies in the stomach. For Klaus, it had been a punch to the gut. He had never been in love before that point. Maybe he was projecting his feelings, fueled by puberty and the resulting urges, on the next best available person in his vicinity since he didn't get much contact with the outside world at that point. That was, at least what he thought as it first hit him.  

He was thirteen when he first started realizing that he saw his brother Diego differently than the rest of his family. They had always been close and he had always regarded his brother with puppy eyes. One night he had gone to bed after one more exhausting day of crime fighting with the rest of his family and his brother Diego had just been his brother Diego and the next morning he had woken up and his brother Diego had suddenly been … not that anymore. Suddenly, as if Diego had been exchanged overnight with a different person altogether, Klaus had started to realize the different details he had never seen until then. The chiseled chin, the incredible tone of his chocolate colored eyes, the dimples he would get when he would laugh about one of Klaus’ jokes.

He had known then that he was doomed and even more messed up than he had ever thought possible.

He remembered sitting across from Diego at the breakfast table that morning and just staring at his handsome brother. Well, handsome was perhaps a little much. They were thirteen, after all, and Klaus soon decided that it was nothing more than a little puppy love crush he had on his big brother in lack of other possible candidates. Surely, if they would be visiting a normal public school or be allowed to leave the house for other reasons than to go on missions together, he would have probably deemed someone else worthy of his newfound sexual interest.

That he was gay had not even been a surprise to Klaus. He had always known it, he assumed. In fact, that he was gay came as a surprise to literally no one in his family as he was outed by Five who had found a certain magazine in his room and shown it to everyone only a month before he disappeared. It was just who he was and for Klaus that had never been a big deal. It was just one more thing his father could be disappointed about when it came to Number Four. No biggie.

That he was in love with his own brother, on the other hand, that was … that was a biggie. A huge biggie.

At first, he tried to ignore those weird new feelings. It turned out that ignoring those weird new feelings was almost as impossible as ignoring the ghosts that were constantly screaming at his face. Falling in love with his own brother had not been a choice and he was powerless against it. Needless to say, ignoring his growing feelings for his brother had been impossible and only made his life at the academy turn into an even bigger hell with each day that passed.

For a while, he had blamed the trauma of suddenly losing one of his siblings as Five had left them one morning during breakfast and just never returned home. In fact, he blamed a whole plethora of different things for him falling in love with his own brother and best friend. Diego and he had always been close in some odd way, always drawn to each other like magnets. Wherever there was trouble, Numbers Two and Four usually were not far. That was just how it had always been with them. Although Diego had always been so eager to please their father and become the new leader of the team, Diego had been all too happy to cause havoc with him without concerns.

In some weird way, ever since they had been able to crawl and then waddle around like malformed penguins, it had been Diego and him against the rest of the world.

He had blamed the drugs he was slowly introducing more and more to his growing body. He had blamed the alcohol that helped to numb the ghosts and would allow him to actually sleep. He had blamed the house and the circumstances of their upbringing. He had blamed Luther and Allison even who had been all gooey-eyed for each other ever since the toddler age. With an example as theirs in front of him … Well, him falling for Diego had been inevitable, right? They just were not very good at being responsible big siblings to Klaus.

With time, he had hoped, those feelings he was harboring for Diego, would pass and he would be able to look at his brother again without feeling his heart race or wake up with a boner after he had dreamed of watching Diego train. His feelings for his brother, however, had proven to be just as stubborn little bitches as he was himself. They had remained intact and, if anything, only grown with each passing day.

At the age of fourteen, Klaus had started to sneak out of the house in the middle of the night to find drugs and alcohol and fun. Parties at first. The sex … That came later. Not much later, though. He had been fifteen when he had first had sex at some random house party. In the morning, he had woken up and not remembered a thing about it. The fact that he had woken up naked and with a strange pain shooting up his backside, had told him enough, though. After that, he had thrown himself at other guys nearly every other night. His feelings for his brother had still not had the decency to go away and so he had tried fucking every guy who wanted to have him, hoping to just be able to ignore what he really wanted.

And it wasn't like he wanted to love Diego. He didn't want to love Diego. He didn't want to want him.

At the age of sixteen, Klaus had finally resigned himself to the fact that he was a freak. An even greater freak than he had thought before. He was completely insane, batshit crazy. There was no other explanation for his feelings for Diego.

That was when he had started to sink deeper and deeper into his old friend depression who had welcomed him into his arms all too happily. His drinking had started to get more and more excessive and so did his drug use. One night he went to a tattoo parlor and came back out with those words on his hands. He had been so high that he hadn't remembered it as the next morning came. Father had beaten him to a bloody pulp that day. He had been locked into his room, his windows bolted shut, for a week while his fresh tattoos had healed.

Everything … everything had gotten so much worse after this. His feelings for Diego had only gotten stronger and being around him had become impossible. Fear had started to take hold of him all too soon. Fear of Diego finding out about his sick fantasies. Fear of Diego pushing him away and leaving him behind in the dust. Fear of Diego looking at him in utter disgust.

He knew that he would die without him. That was just a fact of life. If Diego would be disgusted by him … If Diego wouldn't talk to him anymore or be near him, he would slit his wrists and get it over with. Death couldn't be worse than being without Diego, right?

Call it the overdramatic thoughts of a teenager who had read too many of his mother's tragic romance novels, but that was just how Klaus felt and with every day it had gotten more and more and more out of hand. He was Heathcliff running through the rough and unforgiving terrain of moors of Yorkshire, screaming for his beloved Catherine.

He had been trapped in a downward spiral at that point and there had been no end in sight. No light at the end of the tunnel. It was either having Diego in his life and suffer because he could never tell him the truth or tell him the truth, lose him forever and succumb to death. There was no in-between. There was no grey area. Klaus knew then and there that he would become another one of those crying and screaming ghosts. He would be louder though, he thought. Much louder.

Another development that started to occur over time was that Klaus actively searched for punishment out there in the dark of the night. No longer was he searching for other guys purely for pleasure. He had had his fair share of experience with violent encounters at that point without anyone in his family suspecting a thing. Then, however, Klaus actually actively tried to find men who would treat him badly, to punish him for his perverse fantasies and feelings.

It was Diego - of course, Diego - who saw the marks on his body during training though. Diego who noticed his change in behavior as Klaus became more and more jaded and crude towards the rest of them. And it was Diego who came to him in the nightly hours, again and again, to watch over him. Klaus tried his best to push him away. He had tried so hard to escape from Diego’s clutches every day and every night that he had spent far away from the academy in the arms of some random stranger - but Diego had found him no matter what.

It started with stolen glances across the breakfast table then. It started with innocent touches of the hands when they thought no one would see it. It started with Klaus snuggling up to Diego just that much closer than when they would sit together on the sofa.

He had been helpless against it and so, apparently, was Diego.

※※※※※※※

When hunger got too bad even for him, Klaus started doing what he did best: getting into even more trouble and fucking himself over in the process even worse. By that point, Diego was his impulse control and really the only thing that had made sure that he would not kill himself with the shit he was doing. It should have been unsettling for Klaus as he realized this. He had been using Diego as a crutch for the past months. He had trusted that his boyfriend would take care of him and would make sure that Klaus would not relapse or behave too recklessly.

Love had turned into obsession.

It wasn't as if he wouldn't be aware of that either. He was a junkie. He would never be anything but a junkie. Only his drug of choice was changing every now and then. Diego was his new heroin. Diego was his new cocaine. And now he was going through withdrawal and he had no one to help him through it.

A part of him wanted to go back to his old drugs of choice. A part of him wanted to find the closest dealer and get a hit of something - anything - to numb the pains of withdrawal he was going through the longer he stayed away from Diego. Finding people willing to sell him drugs was not hard either. Not in a city as big as this where temptation always waited around the next corner as it seemed.

The night he found a dealer in some shady alleyway, however, he turned back around and wandered off only to vomit violently into the next trashcan he found. There was no one to see this. No Ben. No Diego. Ben had stopped showing up after Klaus had yelled at him that night between the dumpsters. He was probably moping in the afterlife. Maybe he had finally had enough of watching his brother ruining his life and finally passed on.

He didn't walk away from the drugs because he suddenly possessed some sense of strength in the eye of temptation either. He still craved the drugs. He craved Diego more, though. The thought of how dependent he had become of the other teen was frightening to him. At first, he had started showing up near the spot where they had parked their caravan, hoping to see a glimpse of Diego - while being terrified of the possibility at the very same time. Then he had traveled the city in terror of seeing him again. It was a constant rollercoaster and he was starting to feel nauseous because of it. He wanted to go back to Diego, apologize and start over and at the same time, nothing filled him with greater terror.

He was like poison and he corrupted everything he came into contact with. He was death incarnate. It would be best to stay away from Diego or otherwise, he would destroy the only person in his life who had ever truly loved him and whom Klaus loved more than himself.

It was almost October now. They were almost eighteen now. By the end of October, they would be away from home for a year, they would have almost made it through that entire year either if Klaus had not been so stupid and messed it all up.

He met Daniel again when he was at his lowest about a week after he and Diego had broken up. It was late when he showed up at the bar once again, hoping to get his former boss to give him another chance when he would see how bad Klaus was doing on his own out there. He was preying on Josh’s big heart and maybe that was a wee bit mean.

Well, you do what you have to do to survive, right? Klaus had, ironically, always been good at surviving.

Instead of mercy and a second chance, he found Daniel who walked out of that bar around midnight and took him home. He apologized for what had happened. He apologized for telling on Klaus to his boss. To make it up to him, he had told Klaus, he would buy him food and give him a place to stay for the night until they would figure out in the morning what to do. Klaus knew that it was a lie just the same as Daniel knew that Klaus knew.

He got into his car anyway.

As Daniel offered him a glass of whiskey at his apartment, Klaus took it. As Daniel offered him a bit of weed, Klaus took it. As Daniel took him to bed that night, Klaus didn't complain. As he found the money on the nightstand the next morning, Klaus pocketed it and left and felt just that much dirtier than before.

Selling himself away for money or drugs had never been an issue for Klaus. It was hard to feel like it was a big no-no when he didn't value himself or his body very much, to begin with. What more could those men take from him that he had not already lost anyway? In fact, he had thrown away his dignity and self-worth away at the tender age of fifteen when he had allowed some stranger to fuck him in some dirty motel room and didn't remember a thing afterward.

He saw Diego sitting in a diner once during that time. It had been completely coincidental that he walked past that diner on Main Street and saw him sitting by the window.  There was a girl with him. She was pretty and looked at him the same way Klaus had always looked at Diego - all gooey-eyed as if Diego had hung the moon and the stars in the night sky. Klaus watched them through the window. When she touched Diego’s cast all caring and gentle, Diego did not pull away. Diego did not like being touched by strangers.

He left quickly before Diego could catch him standing there.

Not that Diego would do anything if he would see Klaus. He didn't expect his … his _ex-boyfriend_ … his ex-brother to do anything. They might as well be complete strangers right now. He didn't expect Diego to run after him. He didn't expect Diego to talk to him. And he didn't do any of these things because Klaus was gone before Diego could notice him. Diego's last words to him were still echoing over and over and over in his head in an endless loop. _I want you to leave. I don't want you here._ They had been like a punch in the gut but seeing him with this girl … that was worse. She seemed nice and normal in her white turtleneck. Diego deserved nice and normal. He had seemed happy talking to her. He had smiled at her even - one of those rare smiles strictly reserved for Klaus up until now.

Even two weeks into this, it had never been this clear to Klaus that he and Diego were no longer a thing. Even when he had been sucking cock for money or getting fucked in some back alley, the thought that he and Diego were truly over had never quite settled. As it did now, he felt like throwing up. Instead, he went to the usual place to find someone willing to pay for him.

Getting back into drugs had not been a decision. It had just happened. After taking that hit from that joint at Daniel’s apartment, after having being paid by this asshole that had ruined his relationship it had seemed like the logical consequence. At first, his excuse for selling himself had been that he needed money for food. Now, he couldn't care less about food. In fact, he didn't remember when he had last eaten.

That night, he followed another one of Daniel’s invitations. He was not meant to meet Daniel at that random motel near the beach, though. Daniel had just made contact with him and told Klaus about that friend he had who was in town for a few nights and wanted to meet him. He didn't think about it. He didn't care. Daniel might as well be pimping him out to his friends right now and still, Klaus couldn't care less. With no Ben there to act as his alarm system, he was ready to stumble blindly into the abyss of his own undoing.

If Benny would have really cared, he thought bitterly, he would still be here. In the end, Benny was like everyone else. All too willing to abandon him when times got rough, never willing to actually help, to actually watch out for him.

Maybe that was unfair. He couldn't blame Ben, after all. Yes, they had been close, friends even while Ben was alive. However, Klaus knew and had always known that he, most definitely was not Ben’s first choice of whom he wanted to be stuck with after his death. Surely, Ben much rather wanted to move on with his new existence and find peace but felt obligated to watch over his useless junkie brother instead. Ben had always been the kindest of them. Always been the most concerned about any of his siblings.

Still, as far as Klaus was concerned this night, he might as well stumble into a serial killer's arms and there was no Ben there to help him. Not that he would have been able to do much anyway.  

The thought - the possibility - of walking into his demise did not stop Klaus either from walking up to door Number 13 as he strode over the gravel stone parking lot. Number 13. Bad luck. He blamed it on his powers that made him more prone to being superstitious or in tune with everything even slightly off-kilter and occult. He could hear the waves crash onto the shore from here, though. Perhaps the window of the room would allow him a view of the ocean too while this stranger would fuck him.

Maybe thinking that he might walk into the arms of his killer would have stopped him a month ago. But what had he left to lose now anyway? His life, yes, yada yada. He had never cared all that much about his life. Yes, he was good at surviving but that didn't mean he would dread death. He had been tethered to death from the moment he had been born with his umbilical cord wrapped tightly around his neck, dying on the bloodstained kitchen floor of a farmhouse somewhere in the middle of nowhere in Germany after killing his own mother in the process. It didn't seem so much of a big deal to actually succumb to death now. Under different circumstances, he might have laughed about how weak he was. Diego had broken up with him and now he was willing and ready to die.

 _Weak. Pathetic._ Those were the words his father would certainly use for him now. He wouldn't be wrong either.

Then again, being weak and pathetic was more or less his modus operandi anyway. He had always been weak and pathetic. He had much rather thrown away his dignity and his body then confronting Diego about his feelings back in the day. It had taken Diego’s bravery for them to finally get together. He might have kissed him first, meant as a silly joke, but Diego had actually fought for him when Klaus had been scared out of his mind to do so and adamant to push him away.

He wasn’t scared when he entered the motel room. He felt - he knew - that it was the biggest mistake he had made in a long time and yet there was no fear left inside of him. He felt actually quite calm when he met the guy inside the motel room. He didn't look scary but Klaus was aware that serial killers didn't look scary usually. They looked like everyday people. This guy right here, Marcus, definitely looked like an everyday ordinary guy.

He was dressed in a nice suit with pinstripes. Marcus Harlow, as he had introduced himself to Klaus, was probably around the same age as Daniel with dark hair plastered onto his head, his face neatly shaven with no stubbles in sight. He was a man who definitely took great care of his appearance and not too shabby looking with his square jaw and his piercing blue eyes. Klaus took a shower in the motel’s bathroom as per usual and later when the guy fucked him, he thought that he could have gotten it much worse. The man at least didn't smell or was nasty in any other way like most of his other customers. The window did not allow him to look at the ocean, though.

He didn't care much about the sex. It wasn’t bad. In the end, Marcus had just thrown him onto his stomach and taken what he wanted like everyone else always did with little to no regard for Klaus’ feelings or safety. For his customers, he was a plaything, a doll. Nothing more than this. It was okay. He liked it better this way. He didn't want to look at them when they would fuck him anyway. He didn't want them to be gentle with him. He wanted it raw and dirty and brutal. He wanted to punishment. He hated every second of it but the dope he had smoked before helped to dull his senses to it.

»You need to go.« Ben was flickering in the corner of the motel room as Marcus was later throwing the condom he had used away in the bathroom bin. At least he had used a condom. Klaus remained lying in his own filth in the soiled sheets without batting a lash. Oh, so now Ben cared. »Klaus! Come on, get up, man! You need to leave right now!«

Ben was next to the bed now, extending his hands in a panic as if he wanted to pull on Klaus’ right wrist to get him off the bed. It was futile. Ben’s hands went straight through him and he swatted at him like he was a bug.

»Fuck you, Six.« Klaus muttered under his breath. Whatever panicked episode the ghost of his long dead brother was going through, Klaus couldn't care less now. He had always had a rather self-destructive nature. That was not new by any means and his siblings had always known that too. He sat up on the bed slowly and dragged his boxer shorts back over his ass - Not that he cared much about Ben being in the room and seeing him naked. Klaus had never cared about other people seeing him naked. He didn't care much for Ben’s hurt look either.

As Marcus came back from the bathroom, he smiled at Klaus. The other man had not even undressed, just unzipped his fucking pants as if Klaus were nothing but a toy. Oh well … He was. Wasn't he? That was exactly what he was. A toy. And men paid him to play with him until he would inevitably break.

»Care for a smoke?« Marcus grinned and started rummaging through the duffel bag that rested on a stool by the table in the window of the motel room. He took out a small baggie of weed and Klaus almost felt his mouth water at the sight.

»Klaus, no! Come on, please you need to get out!« Ben urged again and Klaus resisted the urge to flip him off as he instead nodded and watched Marcus roll the joint for him. A minute later, the other man handed him the joint and a few bucks for his services. He seemed polite as he was willing to give Klaus the first hit of the dope after lighting the joint for the teenager.

Klaus didn't care. He just shoved the money into the pocket of his discarded black jeans and took one lungful of the dope and allowed peaceful serenity to wash over him. He liked heroin better. Dope did do nothing to keep the ghosts at bay by now. He could still see that pervert with the bald head standing in the corner, watching him with lustful eyes. He had watched the entire time, probably sad that he couldn't get himself off anymore now that he was dead. What dope did, however, was allowing him to find a bit more peace and tranquility. It allowed him to care less about his situation. It allowed him to get fucked by strangers between dumpsters without a care in the world. As he offered the joint back to Marcus, the man shook his head slightly.

»Oh, I’m good. I need to drive later.« He shrugged as he sat down on the bed next to Klaus and brushed caressing thingers over the side of Klaus’ neck. »Knock yourself out, Baby.« Klaus cringed so visibly that even Marcus seemed to notice. »Everything alright?«

»Yeah … I just … Just don't like being called that.« He muttered before swiftly taking another hit. The dope was starting to make him feel a little dizzy. »Anyway.« He then added as he pinched the joint between his lips and pulled his pants that were lying to his feet on again. »I should get going now.«

As he rose to his feet to pull his pants over his narrow hips, he stumbled shortly, too dizzy to get his feet to cooperate as usually. In fact, the entire room was starting to swim in front of his very eyes.

»You’re not going anywhere, Baby.« Marcus said and his grin was that of a demon straight out of Klaus’ worst nightmares as he turned to look at the man.

He wanted to say something, to ask him what he meant or throw some insult at him but his tongue wouldn't cooperate. His jaw was wired shut. The last thing Klaus Hargreeves heard before slamming into the ground face first, was Ben’s panicked yell from the corner.

 

**-End of Chapter 11-**


	12. Chapter 12

He wondered if Klaus was eating right. That thought had crept into his head on the first day after he had told Klaus to fuck off. He was probably not eating right. He was probably not eating at all. He knew his brother. He knew his self-destructive tendencies. Of all of the seven children, Klaus had been born without any hint of a self-preservation instinct.

He had not regretted sending Klaus away right that same moment. No. As he had told his brother to fuck off, he had been filled with anger and hurt. Just seeing Klaus in the car of this guy, seeing this guy leaning in for a kiss and Klaus not doing anything about it … It had crushed him. Yes. It had crushed him. He was not ashamed to admit this. It had crushed the trust he had had in Klaus up until tats point. Just admitting to himself how hurt he had been by all of this had been hard. Diego Hargreeves had never been a man who easily admitted to his feelings.

He wanted to be angry, focus on his resentment and his feeling of having been betrayed by Klaus. Anger and fury were easier to deal with than the pain of a broken heart. Every day after that awful night, however, the same questions echoed over and over in his head. _Is he eating right? Is he eating at all? Is he sleeping in the streets? Is he back on drugs? Have I overreacted?_

The image of his beloved brother sleeping between dumpsters in some abandoned alley was haunting him. It was terrifying to him. He couldn't sleep, couldn't eat. His worries for Klaus consumed his every waking moment. Of course, that was his very own fault and there was no way around it. He didn't want it to be like this. It would be easier to resent Klaus. It would be easier to walk away from this, swallow his feelings and his hurt and leave. Life was not that simple, though. And neither was love.

He loved him. In spite of everything, Klaus had done. In spite of the lies and how he had betrayed his trust. In spite of how Klaus’ stupid mistakes and his recklessness had endangered them over and over again. He loved him. He couldn't help it. They shared a bond deeper than just lust, deeper even than just romantic love. He was his best friend. He was, in a very warped sense of the word, his brother. They had been together almost from the day they were born. He didn't know life without him.

Still, Diego waited three days before he went to the bar his brother was working in. He told himself that he wanted to teach Klaus a lesson, no matter how stupid that sounded even to his very own ears. Needless to say, he felt like the biggest asshole in the history of assholes as he finally made it to the bar in the Castro District, hidden away between a liquor store and, funnily enough, a florist.

The place was familiar, by now after all those time he had come here to pick up his boyfriend. And yes, he would agree now that this might have seemed a bit possessive at times. That was, in fact, exactly what he intended to do today as well. He was tired of not having Klaus in the bed next to him. He would stare at the fairy lights and the occult crap Klaus had accumulated and feel mocked by them. This morning, as he had been sitting broodingly over a cup of coffee at their little table that Klaus had painted a bright blue, he could have sworn that the planchette on Klaus’ Ouija board had moved just a little. He had probably just hit the table with his foot or something.

It was a slow night as he entered _Walker’s_ and Klaus was nowhere to be found, which was not unusual per se. He was probably in the basement taking care of something or bringing a new case of whiskey or beer upstairs. Behind the bar, he found the owner, Josh Walker, who looked at him with raised brows as Diego walked closer. Klaus had probably told him about the breakup and now he thought that Diego was just some crazy stalker ex harassing his waiter. Only a handful of other men was sitting around. A few of them sitting together and chatting or flirting, a few by themselves. He was aware of the pointed looks he got. Funnily enough, it made Diego uncomfortable when other guys would stare at him as if he was a bit of fresh meat. It wasn’t the attention that bothered him. Like any other human being, Diego liked the feeling of being seen as attractive or desirable. The problem was that he had never once looked at other men like this himself - except for Klaus. Number Four had always been the exception to every little rule Diego had created for himself.

Odd, how Diego had never really thought about his view of other men. He found them attractive, yes, but he didn't desire men, perse. It was just Klaus. Always Klaus. He was drawn to him like a moth to the flame and no one else was of any interest to him. Well, except perhaps those naked women in the magazines he had managed to steal from the corner shop to use as a remedy to treat his boner every morning when he hit puberty.

Well, Diego had never been a fan of labeling things.

»Hey, Josh.« Diego greeted the man behind the bar and put his good hand on the counter. He tried his friendliest smile, aiming for nonchalance, but was aware that he was probably looking sheepish more than anything. Josh raised his left eyebrow even higher.

»What can I do for you, Kiddo?«

»I … I just wanted … I wanted to pick up Klaus.« His words sounded a lot more like a question by the end of his statement as if he was unsure if that was really why he came to this place.

»Well, tough luck then-«

»I-I know … He p-probably doesn't wanna speak to me, but … If you c-could tell him that I’m sorry…« He hated himself for his stutter at this moment as it made him sound thoroughly pathetic apparently, judging by the pitiful expression that crept onto Josh’s face. Fuck.

»Klaus doesn't work here anymore.« Josh replied then after a small pause.

»What?«

»I kicked him out a few days ago.« Then, with a sigh, he added: »Not that I would have wanted to but … He’s seventeen. He lied to me about his age and I can't risk someone finding out that I have a minor working here. This bar is my life. Had to give him the boot, haven't seen him since.«

After that, Diego spent days searching high and low for his missing brother, his missing … yes, what? Ex-boyfriend? That was exactly what it was, wasn’t it? He had broken things off with Klaus. He had not said the words, no, but he had told him clearly that he didn't want him at their home anymore so what else would this mean, right? At least Klaus seemed to have taken it like this because he had not returned ever since.

Searching for Klaus in a city as big as San Francisco was like looking for a needle in a haystack. It was useless without having an inkling of where he might have gone at least. By now, he was probably back on drugs, Diego thought bitterly. He should think better of him and he felt dirty for not having enough trust in Klaus but … it was true, wasn't it? Yes, Klaus was sober for almost a year now but Diego also knew that he would have never gotten sober if not for Diego. Diego was the only reason why he had gotten sober in the first place and not because he wanted it for himself.

The truth was, and Diego could see this now, their relationship had become a bit unhealthy in parts. They had become obsessive over the other one. Diego had always been the jealous type, nothing new there. However, his jealousy, as of late, had taken on new levels that were scary even to Diego himself and he didn't like it.

_Well, you were right though, weren't you? Klaus betrayed your trust._

He ignored that mocking little voice in the back of his mind as best as he could. Yes, he thought sitting in front of their caravan with a bottle of beer in his hand later that night. Yes, Klaus had betrayed his trust. He had lied to him for weeks and went out on dates with another guy. He even got paid to do so. That was a truth that Diego couldn't escape or shake off. Klaus had lied to him and went behind his back.

And yet … Would he have done it if Diego wouldn't have given him a reason to do so? Since Klaus started working at this bar they had fought more often than he cared to count and he had become more and more possessive of Klaus, more and more jealous. He knew that Klaus, more than anyone he knew, needed his freedom, needed to be allowed to spread what was left of his wings and he hadn't let him. He had shown his distrust for Klaus with every fiber of his being. Of course, Klaus wouldn't trust him then in return with the truth. Of course, Klaus would not come to Diego then and talk to him about that Daniel guy and his proposition.

Days turned into two weeks. Almost two entire weeks went by and no sign of life of Klaus. He was worried sick by the end of those two weeks. What if Klaus was already dead? He might be lying in some gutter or had been discarded in some dumpster or thrown into the bay. What if he would never see him again? What if Reggie had found him and taken him back home and Diego would never know?

He could feel it in his guts that something was wrong with Klaus. He had always known when something was wrong. They just … They had this kind of a bond. They always had. And Diego … He was desperate.

That was how he ended up in this diner one day, sitting in the booth by the window and across from him a young woman. She was a little older than Diego by only two or three years. It was hard to guess without demanding an ID. She was, as it had turned out, also a private investigator. Furthermore, she was also also a private investigator working for Reginald. One might wonder now how Diego ended up talking to someone like this in a diner on a busy street in San Fran.

Diego had first seen her creep around the caravan and Martha two days prior to their little lunch date. She had not been very discreet about it either and when confronted by Diego, she had quickly come up with some random little lie about being interested in his caravan because she had a fascination with old cars and caravans like this. It didn't take a genius to see through that lie. Yet, here he was now. Sitting in a diner with that girl, Eudora Patch as she had introduced herself, having coffee served with a slice of civil conversation.

The diner itself was a place where he had sometimes visited with Klaus after work when neither one of them had felt like eating another can of whatever canned food they had. Money was tight ever since they came to the big city. Those evenings they had spent in this diner, however, they had feasted like kings and could almost forget their past troubles. They never really spoke of New Bern, though.

Sitting across from this woman, Diego still wasn’t quite sure if he could trust her but so far she had not sold him to Reggie or pulled a gun on him. In fact, the moment she had dropped her cover story and told Diego who she really was - probably well aware that she would not be able to overpower him without her trusty taser - she had also told him that she was following him and Klaus for quite some time now.

Eudora, as she had explained, originally planned on joining the police force. Instead, she then took on various jobs for rich people who were desperate to find out if their spouse was cheating on them. In the end, Reginald had contacted her directly. Apparently, Reginald had already known for a while now that his two missing sons were in San Francisco.

Knowing that he couldn't just run from this city and take everything with him and leaving Klaus behind in the process, Diego had actually been forced to talk to her. That was why he was here now. Well, and if he was clutching one of his knives to his leg underneath the table … Who could blame him?

»Listen, I get it.« Eudora sighed as she reached over to him and patted the thick cast on his left arm. It was covered in doodles from Klaus. During one especially lazy night, Klaus had taken it upon him to draw a huge Kraken all over his cast, completing it only with a few more vulgar and obscene pieces of artwork. Diego avoided looking at his injured arm since Klaus was gone. The memory of his manhandling him to draw on his cast, his soft giggles echoing through the caravan, too painful. He couldn't wait to get rid of that thing. »After everything you told me about your daddy dearest … I couldn't deliver you back to him with a clean consciousness.«

»Most people wouldn't care.«

»Well, I am not most people, Diego.« Eudora shrugged and took back her hand with an easy smile. »And I still have some sort of moral code at least. It's true that I could use the money but … not at that cost. There will be other jobs, right?«

He wasn't a naive person. Not by a long shot. Still, there was something honest behind her dark eyes. She seemed to be telling the truth. That was, at least, what Diego was hoping for. If she wasn't telling the truth, well … She had Martha’s license plate number. She knew what the car looked like. Finding him and Klaus would be easy for her and as long as he didn't know where his wayward brother was, he couldn't leave this city either. She would have no trouble delivering Diego’s head on a silver platter. She could have already done it.

»Why didn't you rat us out to good old Reggie?«

She huffed a humorless little laugh. »When I got the job offer from your father … Let's just say it rubbed me the wrong way. _He_ rubbed me the wrong way. Of course, I took the job anyway. I figured I might as well take the job and then try to figure out the rest from there.« A small shrug accompanied her words as she leaned with crossed arms on the table.

The end of September was chill already and Eudora wore a simple white turtleneck shirt with a leather jacket. She was pretty and, perhaps, in a different life, Diego might have been head over heels for her. She was just a few years older, after all, and she had something about her that he liked. There was a fire in her eyes, a love for rebellion and the wish to do good. One day, he thought, she would make a damn good cop.

»You know in my line of business it's easy to get a feeling for unsavory characters like your dad. It was pretty clear to me that neither of you guys has been kidnapped.« She made a crude little throw-away gesture with her hand at this. »Otherwise you would have either turned up in some way or there would have been a ransom note by now. Nothing like this happened, apparently. Your father might be good in keeping such details from the general public but it's my job to find stuff like this out, right? So, I was left with the knowledge of two - excuse me - spoiled brats running away from home. And not from any home either but the famous Umbrella Academy, from being superheroes and living under the roof of a billionaire who probably spoiled them rotten. Let’s just say that most young people wouldn't do that. It was much more likely that you guys would try to kill your dad and get his money for yourself. That's what usually happens in rich families where there’s a troubled relationship between parents and children whether adopted or not. Or you could have waited another year instead of running away at seventeen. Less trouble, right? Less of a scandal.«

She paused in her little monologue only to take a sip from her still boiling hot coffee. Diego mirrored her gesture after a moment of hesitation. He had kept an eye on his mug the entire time. No way she could have put anything in there, right? After he took a sip, he cleared his throat and gave a small nod. So far, he could follow her and her reasoning.

»So, I thought to myself: Why would two kids like this run away from home instead of waiting another year? Was it because they wanted to cause a scandal? And if so, why? Just to piss off their dad or to get the public to notice what kind of person he truly is? I started digging. Your brother Ben, Number Six, died last year, shortly before you guys ran away. I took that as one factor, perhaps even the straw that broke the camel’s back. Your other brother, Number Five, vanished when he was thirteen. His disappearance was never solved but he is assumed to be dead as well. Seven children, two of them died before the age of eighteen. That's not the greatest track record.«

She really would make a great cop one day, Diego thought. In fact, it was listening to her go through all of this, that made him remember his own desire to become a cop.

»And then there is the business of the whole superhero stick. Superpowered or not, no normal, loving parent would endanger their children in such a way and at such a young age. Ben’s death could be called negligence on your father’s behalf because he got him in that dangerous situation in the first place. And then I thought: if a father is willing to endanger his children in such a way, what more is he willing to do for his own benefit? The fact that he kept Vanya, Number Seven, a secret from the public should raise eyebrows on its own, I guess, but I came to the conclusion that there was probably some form of abuse involved.«

As Eudora paused once more to drink, Diego grew suddenly highly aware that he had stopped breathing for the duration of her little monologue. He quickly took a breath and cleared his throat again - as he tended to do when he was getting nervous. His mouth was very dry and he felt indeed a little like a cornered animal. He was a mouse and Eudora the cat that was about to bite his head off. Yet, she didn't seem dangerous. She seemed to be on their side. Not once had she broken eye contact with him either.

»Your father told me about … About your relationship with Klaus.« She continued quietly. »He’s not a fan but I guess that not new to you. Knowing all those facts, I wondered if the abuse you suffered at his hands was the reason for you boys running away. I can assume that his reaction to your relationship wasn't quite that calm and collected either. The few times I talked to him over the phone I realized that he is a short-tempered kind of guy.«

The look she gave him made him swallow around the lump in his throat. It was not pity but compassion and genuine worry. Ever since they left home, he had only talked to Klaus and his coworkers in New Bern about his childhood, the abuse, their home. And that too only in very small dosages. There were things, Diego couldn't talk about. There were things, Klaus couldn't talk about. They never needed to with each other. They just knew and offered a comforting shoulder when it was needed. In front of Eudora, despite the fact that she didn't know any specifics, made him feel small and naked.

»Listen, Diego, I understand if you don't trust me or if you don't want to talk about what happened at home. I just want you to know that I harbor no ill-intentions for you or your brother. The same cannot be said about the other people on your trail. I don't know for sure but I guess that I am not the only person in this city currently on the hunt for you and Klaus. Your father would be stupid to hire only one person in a city this large. I want to help and for that, I have to know where Klaus is.«

Diego hesitated for a moment as he didn't quite trust his voice to form a coherent string of words. »I … I-I haven't seen him for t-two weeks. W-We kinda … We broke up.«

»That's not good.«

»I know!« Diego sighed. »I’m trying to find him … I need to apologize.«

»No, you Dingus. That means he’s fair game now, unprotected. As far as I’m concerned he could be on his way back home right now. Do you realize how easy it would be for any other P.I. or Bounty Hunter to grab some random boy loitering on the streets?«

»Of course, I know.« Diego groaned. »That's why I’m trying to find him. I’m worried sick about him. Klaus is … He was not born with any kind of self-preservation instinct, it seems. He stumbles into danger headfirst without a care in the world, Eudora. I … I need your help. I need to find him. If Reggie gets his hands on him … That c-can't h-happen. H-He won’t s-survive t-that.«

※※※※※※※

As he drove down the dark highway in the middle of the night, the news report was still echoing in his head. Two weeks. He hadn't seen Klaus for two weeks and as he had heard the news report earlier this evening, he had dropped everything, jumped behind the wheel and started driving. He could drive with just one functioning arm if it was necessary.

Hell, he had not even told Eudora about his sudden departure from the city. He was sure she would know what happened if she had heard what he had heard.

Since he had first sat down with Eudora, the P.I. had made only little progress in her quest to find his brother. She had urged Diego to keep a low profile, perhaps stay away from the caravan and get ready to leave the city as soon as she would bring Klaus back to him. He had obliged, though only after bitching about it for a while. He hated taking the backseat to this problem. He should be out there looking for Klaus, after all.

This thought seemed so silly now.

_»Lost billionaire son Klaus Hargreeves finally returned home after almost a year.«_

The voice of the news reporter disrupted the music silently coming from the radio as Diego was pushing the car down the dark and empty highway. He would have switched the radio off right then if he would have wanted to risk an accident. Already he was driving way too fast, pushing Martha and the Caravan down the highway with force.

_»The news arrived a few hours ago. We are still waiting for an official statement of Sir Reginald Hargreeves but for now, it seems that the lost son is largely unharmed and well. We are still unsure of what happened to the teenager and his brother during the last year, as Diego Hargreeves is still missing. We are positive that we are getting answers soon, though and wish Klaus and his family all the best and a speedy recovery until then. The world is holding its breath.«_

His knuckles turned white as he gripped the steering wheel harder with his good hand. As he had first heard the news, he had been almost certain that Eudora had betrayed him, that she had found Klaus and brought him back home without telling Diego. She knew, just as much as Reginald knew, that Diego would come home willingly now. He would never allow Klaus to stay in this house without him after everything that had been done to Klaus at this place. His father might as well have spoken over the radio that he awaited his return now that he got Klaus back.

Klaus was his Achilles’ heel. He had always been. Even as children and far removed from being romantically involved, Klaus had been his number one priority. Thinking back on it now, it felt odd to Diego that he hadn't realized his feeling for Klaus much sooner than he had.

It had always been the two of them. He had always felt drawn to him like a moth to the flame, always exchanging looks over the breakfast table or during dinner when one of their siblings started bitching about something. Most of those times it had been FIve. The had always been seeking each others approval. Always seeking each other's comfort. Even as mere toddlers, they had drifted towards each other during playtime or while taking a nap. Two halves of one whole.

Thinking back on it, he couldn't remember when it had started to become clear to him that he loved Klaus more than a brother. It had not been like in the movies. No lightning bolt striking, no thunder crashing. Nothing like that. It had been steady like waves rolling at the shore, like clouds drifting across the sky, like rays of sunlight falling on his face or rain dripping against a window. Steady and gentle and calm. Just like that. His love for Klaus as a brother had morphed into something else slowly and quietly and without him noticing it at first. Then again, perhaps his love for Klaus had always been more than the love for a brother and he had just never realized it until he finally did.

It wasn’t like he woke up one day and suddenly he had seen Klaus differently than he had before. Klaus had not suddenly become this otherworldly person. Klaus had not one day went to bed and woke up someone different to Diego. He had always been pretty, always been beautiful - the most beautiful human being Diego had ever seen in his life. It had been a gradual process and when he finally realized how his feelings towards Klaus had become more and more intense and more and more decidedly not brotherly or platonic at all, it had been a shock to Diego.

Suddenly, he had started noticing how pretty Klaus’ eyes were shining in the sunlight, how deep the green of them was, how cute his dimples looked when he was smiling or how much he worried about him when he saw him twitchy and nervous and afraid.

He had first realized that there was something deeper going on with him and his feelings for his brother when they had turned fourteen. Klaus had started sneaking out at night to go out and partying. When he had seen him return with hickeys all over his throat, he had started getting angry - even angrier than before. That Klaus liked men had never been a topic of discussion in their family. They had always known it somehow. It just was what it was and no one really cared all that much. That had changed the moment he had started to see those hickeys and bruises. A beast had been awoken deep down in his stomach and he remembered fearing that this might be a new power, something like poor Benny had to deal with all the time. He didn't want to deal with monsters in his guts.

He had soon realized though that he only felt the monster gnawing at his insides whenever he would look at Klaus and see new marks on his skin. It was the feeling of wanting to rip apart every guy who dared to lay a hand on Klaus. First, he had thought he just wanted to protect his most beloved brother, his best friend but soon he had realized that he couldn't stand the thought of any other person touching Klaus in such a way.

It should be him.

When that thought first settled in, he had been terrified. He hadn't understood these news feelings. And when he did, when he had started fantasizing about his own brother, his little brother, he had been terrified and disgusted with himself. He had been ashamed of his own thoughts and feelings. He had hardly been able to even look at Klaus. He had built a wall between them, as high as the Eiffel tower. He had pulled away from Klaus whenever he had reached out to him. He had left the room when it had been only them left inside. He had ignored him whenever he could and tried to ignore the hurt look in his eyes. It had been hard though. Almost impossible. And then he couldn't do it any longer.

He hadn't chosen to fall in love with Klaus. But then this kiss happened. They had played spin the bottle with their siblings in one rare moment of childish freedom when their father had been gone on a trip. When the bottle had landed on Diego, Klaus had kissed him on the mouth instead of the cheek. And he had giggled so gleefully over his own little mischief and ran when Diego gave chase through the house.

He had tried to play it cool, to swallow the butterflies in his stomach, to stop his heart from racing and when he grabbed Klaus at last, he just pinched his arm and went back to his usual training. In truth, he hadn't been able to focus on anything but the soft feeling of Klaus’ lips pressing against his own.

The truth was, to this day he still felt the soft press of Klaus’ lips against his own. That first innocent little kiss that seemed to have meant nothing at all to Klaus. He hadn't known it, back then. It had taken a while after that until he had realized how Klaus truly felt for him. And when he did … He had been terrified and happy and excited all the same.

He had been stumbling down a rabbit hole ever since like Alice stuck in Wonderland. And then they had escaped and now he was headed back to this place, back into the pit of darkness and despair he had so successfully escaped from almost a year ago.

Of course, Diego knew that he could just drive to Mexico instead. He had promised Klaus to not follow him if something like that would happen and Klaus had promised him the same. Heck, they had both known that this wouldn't happen. They had both known that neither one of them would allow the other to suffer again at their father’s hands alone.

In a few hours, he would be back home.

 

**-End of Chapter 12-**


	13. Chapter 13

He was frozen to the core even before a wave of cold water hit him and was followed immediately by another. He was drenched within seconds, his hair dripping on his shoulders, a violent shiver running through his naked body. His nails were digging softly into the cracks between the bricks of the corner he was forced to face as he stood there barely able to keep himself upright on shaking legs and weak knees.

He was exhausted by now. Weak and tired. None of that mattered, though. He was home again. He had fucked up. He had fucked up and now he got to pay the price for all the bad things he had done in the past year. He would atone for his sins. 

»Another one.« The dark voice of his father echoed from the naked stone walls around him. Behind him, metal was scraping over stone, water was sloshing in another bucket and splashing on the ground and then he was hit again with a new wave of ice water. »Better.« His father commented calmly about Klaus’ humiliation. Because this was it, right? A humiliation. 

If this was about getting him cleaned up from the dirt and grime on his body, there would have been other methods. Instead, his father was opting to treat him like a dog and nothing more than that. He didn't deserve kindness. He didn't deserve dignity in the same vein of how Klaus had never been allowed to even close the door when he was in the bathroom. Lack of trust - that was how his father had explained it back then. Worry, his siblings had called it. His father’s cruelty had always had many named but at the core, it remained cruelty. 

»You know« Klaus muttered despite how hoarse his voice was and despite how tight his throat felt. »You could have just thrown me in the tub, right, Daddy?« 

»You have forfeited every right to roam these halls, Number Four. You will stay down here until you have learned to behave again.« His father immediately barked back as Klaus slowly turned around to face the rest of the room - his cell. 

His hair hung into his face and he kept his chin tilted down just so that he could stare daggers at his father through his wet hair. His stance was one of defiance despite everything. He might not be a fighter but he was certainly not a little bitch either. His father stood close to the only door of the room, looking as smugly as ever, even though he seemed even more of an ungodly figure than he had been in his nightmares. 

Luther still held onto the empty metal bucket he had used to douse Klaus with. To his feet were two more empty buckets. His brother seemed uneasy and uncomfortable and looked everywhere but at Klaus. He couldn't blame him. 

He had arrived an hour ago, as far as he could tell for there was no clock anywhere inside the dark basement room and no window either. He had been unconscious when he had been dragged down here, knocked out by some sort of drug that this Markus-guy had laced the weed with. He should have known. Well, a part of him had known that he was walking into the mouth of a beast. There was no way around it. He had known and Ben had warned him and yet he had walked into his doom, welcoming his demise like an old friend. Thank God he had been unconscious when he had arrived at the house. Maybe he would have broken down, started kicking and screaming otherwise. 

The room was completely bare. A cage deep beneath the foundation of the house. The gaps between the large blocks of limestone were the only thing given the walls some sort of structure. Other than this it was just blank stone and hard concrete and nothing. The only modern thing inside the cell was the ugly ceiling lamp with it's loud and headache-inducing light. At least there were no shadows creeping in on him as long as the light was on but Klaus knew just as well that the room would be drowned in pitch black darkness as soon as it would get switched off from the outside. Of course, there was no light switch on this side of the door. 

He knew this room. It was, after all these years, a friend to him. They all had a room like this, filled with the things that were the most terrifying to them. Those were torture chambers designed to break them - and what more could Klaus fear than total darkness? It needn't much more than this.  

He stood naked in front of his brother and his father and yet, he couldn't care less. His father had the sole intent of humiliating him, of breaking him and he would not give him the satisfaction. He would not tell his father either that he didn't need to have him freeze his ass off in total darkness - or whatever else he intended to do with him next. It was more than enough punishment to allow Klaus to wallow in self-loathing all alone in this room, locked in total darkness with only himself as company. 

»So what now, old man?« Klaus huffed as he raised his chin and held it up high. »Are you going to drag me in front of the press and make me say how happy I am to be back home safely? Are you going to make me cry for the cameras and plead for my kidnappers to bring back Diego as well? Or what story are we spinning?«

In the corner, Ben looked at him in alarm as if he already knew something he didn't. He would tell him though, wouldn't he? He was not running the risk of being called out, after all. Maybe, just maybe, Klaus thought bitterly at this, being back here after a year of being a free ghost out in the real world, was just as terrifying to Ben as it was to Klaus.

»Number Two will come home soon enough - Not that you are going to see much of him anyway.«  Of course, not. If Diego would return home in some fashion, their father would not allow them to see each other again for a long time. He would try to brainwash them, to get them to turn on each other perhaps. Heck, as if he needed much brainwashing there anyway. His father didn't know yet that he and Diego had broken things off, apparently. Then again, he probably knew very well how Klaus had managed to get himself captured, right? He knew that Klaus had been whoring himself out to that man who had, at last, delivered him back home.

»He won’t come home.« Klaus smirked then as it filled him with glee to know that their break up at least had one good thing. Diego would not come to get him now. That was the last bit of hope he could cling to now. If this whole fiasco only had one good thing it was that he had saved Diego in betraying him. 

»Oh, but he will try to help you, won't he?«

»No, he won't.« Klaus grinned and made a point of showing his teeth as he did. It was a sneer more than a grin. »We broke up. He hates my gut. He would never risk his own freedom for me now. Good job, old man, you captured the useless one of us!« He laughed out loud even though he felt like puking out his guts. Withdrawal was settling in already by now. 

Reginald pulled up one eyebrow at his words but he didn't seem deterred by what he said about the breakup. Not even some snarky little remark about their failed Romeo and Juliet kind of relationship. 

»We will see.« Reginald instead said. No further reaction. Nothing. That was all before he gave Luther a small nod that made his brother pick up the other two empty buckets as well. »For now you will stay down here.« 

There was a moment when his father stared at him as if he was staring right into his very soul, able to see things Klaus was not willing to show him. For just a second, Klaus even thought that his father already knew that Klaus was starting to struggle with the first signs of withdrawal. Soon he would be a complete and utter mess. It was his own fault, of course. He had been clean for almost a year, after all. He had come so far and he had fucked it all up again. He deserved being locked up in the dark like this, cold and miserable with only his thoughts and his demons to entertain him. 

His father knew probably that he didn't need to beat him again - not for now at least. He knew that, as he was finally leaving him behind alone in the darkness of his cell, he was leaving Klaus alone with his own worst enemy.

※※※※※※※

He was blinded by the light of the camera flashes after spending so much time in complete and utter darkness. Had it been days? Weeks? He couldn't tell the difference. What he could tell, however, was that he had to look absolutely horrible. He was exhausted beyond belief and was only being held upright by Luther standing behind him and holding onto the belt of his pants quite literally. The cameras wouldn't pick up on that and neither would they show how much his knees were buckling under his weight. Luther was a comforting presence behind him, despite everything. His head still throbbed from the punch his brother had landed against his jaw hours ago. His mouth still hurt and his eye was swollen shut by now. 

Yet, the hands that had hurt him were also able to deliver great comfort now. 

The noise around him, the questions that were shouted his way, had become just white noise in his head, a loud annoying high-pitched whistling - like a tea kettle on a stove. He wondered if Mom would make tea for him when he would be allowed back inside the house. He wondered if she would make him something to eat. Not that he was hungry anyway. Diego would say that he needed to eat. Ben said it too sometimes in the darkness of his cell.

He felt sick to his stomach. Wouldn't it be funny if he would vomit all over his father’s sleek polished Italian leather shoes now in front of all those cameras? 

Reginald had forced them all to come out here, stand on the steps to the academy and look good in front of the cameras. Even Vanya was here with them. Well, it would look just odd otherwise. They had been seven once. Six, for the rest of the world, yes, but they had been seven once. Luther had taken position behind Klaus. He was the tallest, after all. He had grown quite a bit since the last time, Klaus had seen him a year ago. Vanya and Allison were flanking his sides - Vanya to the right, Allison to the left. He couldn't see Luther’s face but he imagined him to look just as stoically forward as the girls did. 

He didn't even listen to what his father had to say to the reporters in front of their house. It wasn’t important anyway. Even if he would be willing to listen to him, he didn't know if he could. His ears were ringing and Allison was shooting him concerned looks from the side. Benny was nowhere to be seen. Well, he had always hated the spotlight, right? He was probably in his room reading a book. Dad would later yell at Ben for not being out here with the rest of them. And Benny would say that he was dead, after all. Funny. How would Reggie yell at a ghost?

The again, he would probably find a way, right? His father always found a way to yell at them. Benny would be no exception. He never was. Poor little dead Benny. He wished he was here now with him and had to look at those cameras. He wondered if those cameras would be able to pick Ben’s ghostly apparition up too. He wondered if he himself looked more like a ghost than an actual human being right now. He knew he was much thinner than he had been last time he had set foot into this house. He had always been thin, worryingly so perhaps. That was why Diego had always made sure he would eat, right? Oh, Diego … He missed Diego. He felt like he couldn't breathe without him here. He was wheezing every time he tried to draw in air. His lungs were mush.

»Breathe.« Luther muttered quietly in his ear from behind him. It surprised him that he could actually hear his brother’s voice over all this noise and the ringing in his head. »In and out, slowly. In through the nose, out through the mouth - like we practiced. Remember?« 

He did, in fact, remember. He remembered his very first panic attack as he had curled up in the attic after one of his first special training sessions in the mausoleum. Luther had found him up there as he had been staring up at the moon again. It had been way past bedtime and Klaus had sneaked out of his room. He had tried to get onto the roof to get fresh air but hadn't come very far. Apparently, Luther had snuck out as well to stargaze. This rebellious streak in his brother had quickly been destroyed after that. Beaten out of him quite literally. Now, not even one hair on Luther’s head would dare to act up.

Still, Luther had found him, curled up in the corner and covered in dust and cobwebs. And he hadn't been able to breathe. His lungs had wheezed as he tried, his skin crawled, invisible claws ripping at it and trying to rip him to shreds. And there had been Luther, eight years old like him and much taller. He had sat down in the dust and pulled Klaus with his back against his chest and told him to breathe. He still remembered how strong Luther’s arms had been even back then and how secure he had felt in his brother’s tight and constricting grip. In fact, he remembered nudging Luther to squeeze him even tighter and tighter as he had tried to force air into his lungs.

»Breathe.« Luther urged again calmly, one hand flat against the small of Klaus’ back  - invisible to the outside world but comforting for Klaus. He wanted his brother to squeeze him tightly again like a boa constrictor, to feel secure like he had felt as an eight-year-old boy in the attic. Their father shot Luther a glare that no one else would pick up on but forced his brother to stop his whispered words. Beside Klaus, Vanya shifted uneasily from one foot to the other.  

Vanya didn't like the spotlight either. Funny. After all, hadn't she told Klaus once that she wanted to become a famous violinist? She would look awesome on stage under the spotlight with her violin. One day he wanted to see that. He doubted he would live that long, though. 

»Mr. Hargreeves! Mr. Hargreeves!« A young woman suddenly called out. »Channel 7 News! Do you have any information about your other missing son, Diego? Have you heard anything?« 

»Diego’s dead.« He almost didn't recognize the voice as his own. It sounded so shrill, almost a bit hysteric and the giggle that tore from his throat didn't seem to belong to him either. Was he possessed by a demon or a ghost? Had some … _thing_ finally managed to grab a hold of his body and take over for him? He sounded completely insane to his own ears as he repeated the words. »Diego’s dead! He’s dead!« 

Vanya looked terrified as she stared at him and Luther’s grab on him became a silent warning. The damage was done, though and the media in a frenzy. He didn't understand most of the questions that were being fired his way. It wasn't important anyway. He was in a warzone now and their questions the rapid fire of a machine gun. There was no shelter for him though, no trenches to cover behind. 

»He’s dead! He’s dead!« He laughed and the sound tore at his throat like a beast. The sound was painful and rough and he hated it. »I watched his corpse rot at my feet. I saw him rot … rot … rot. They hacked him to pieces and let him rot!« His giggle was shrill and manic and Luther put a hand on his shoulder, asking him silently to stop talking, to shut up. The frenzy around him got even worse and the world around him was spinning out of control. He felt like his entire body was aflame and before he knew it his knees went out from under him. Luther caught him right away under the arms and pulled him close against his chest. 

It was only then that his father finally had mercy and ordered Luther to quickly bring him inside. He barely realized how Luther picked him up as if he would weigh nothing at all. To him, he probably didn't. Even before they went inside, the whole world turned black and the last thing he heard was the questions of the reporters flying like bullets through the air. 

※※※※※※※

Diego’s face was hovering just in front of him. He was crouching on the ground before him with blood dripping down his head from the reopened wound at the side of his head. The cut was so deep now that Klaus could see his skull were it had cracked open at the side of his head. There was so much blood running down Diego’s face. It was hard to look at it, really. He could hardly do it. Yet, at the same time, he couldn't tear his eyes away from Diego.

Diego, who was right there in front of him, staring at him out of those chocolate brown eyes. Diego, who smiled at him through bloody teeth. Diego, who was so close that Klaus could almost touch him. As he reached out for him, however, his hand went straight through him. 

»You killed me.« Diego said but his voice was no louder than a whisper, uttered between secret lovers under the cover of darkness. His skin was grey and dry, his lips brittle, his face gaunt. »You know you did, right? You got yourself captured because you sold your body for drugs and money in that motel room. And then I died because I followed you home. I died because I wanted to save your scrawny little junkie ass. I thought I could still save you. I should have known better. There is no hope for you.« 

»No, no, no, no, no…« Klaus whined into the emptiness of the room but Diego still just smiled at him and there was even more blood running down his face now. There was so much blood. He could see him rot away right before his very eyes, falling apart piece by piece. »No, no, no … No, you can't be dead. You can't be … You can't be dead.«

»But you said it yourself, didn't you? _He’s dead. I saw him rot_.« Diego's voice was more of a sing-song now and he hated every second of it. He sounded so gleeful. He sounded so wrong. The sound of his voice sent shivers down his spine and made his skin crawl.  » _He was rotting at my feet. They hacked him to pieces and let him rot._ « 

Somewhere in the world outside of his head, a bomb was going off and then he was blinded by a flash of light before a sharp pain made him almost pass out again on the spot. 

»Welcome back to the world of the living, Number Four!« Oh, he knew that voice. He had heard it in his worst nightmares. He knew it. It belonged to the monster that roamed his dreams nearly every night. And there it was. The monster. The monster with it's one glowing eye and this cold smile. And besides the monster, he found his brother, standing there with the monster’s cane in hand. 

»Your little show in front of the press caused quite the ruckus, Number Four, I hope you are aware of this.« 

»That was the point, wasn't it?« Klaus slurred and forced a grin on his face. »To steer up a ruckus. Wasn't that what you wanted when you dragged me out in front of the cameras? Leave it to me to put on a good show for the media, dearest Papa!« He added with a hoarse little laugh.

There was this sharp and very distinct pain again. He didn't know from where the blow came initially but he found himself on the ground and he could taste something bitter and metallic. He was bleeding, his mind helpfully supplied. Around him, the ghosts were trying to reach out and grab him but Klaus didn't even have the strength left to flinch back from them. Down here, many of them hid from the world. All of them were grotesque and horrifying. Their screams and their howling, this constant noise, was driving him insane, though. He rolled over onto his back and just stared at the moldy ceiling above him.

»You will never get him now. He’s heard what I said … And he will know now not to come. He won’t risk his freedom for a fucking whore like me.«  There was this high-pitched laugh again that he didn't quite recognize. Maybe he was going completely insane now. 

»Number Two will come.« Reginald droned on. »He can't help himself and you know this as well as I do.«

»And since when do you know anything about us?« Klaus laughed again and spit out the blood in his mouth. »Despite, of course, all the analytics you ran of us all those years. I mean … yeah, sure, you probably know all too well about the consistency of our poop, right? But about us? No. You have no idea who we really are.«

»I know, for example, that Number One helped you and your brother that night that you ran away.« Reginald’s words hung heavy in the room and Klaus tried his best not to look at Luther then. This was a battlefield and every step he made could possibly be the end of him - or worse, of Luther. The grin remained on his face but he felt it freeze over like a flower during a blizzard.

»Luther would have never helped us doing anything like that.« Klaus then groaned as he slowly forced himself into a sitting position on the cold hard ground again. His words came out more like a sick little wheezing sound than anything else. »And you would know that if you would know anything about us kids. You brainwashed Luther so badly that he would never even dare to breathe without your strict permission, right big guy?« 

He tried to play it cool. The least he could do was try and protect Luther now. He didn't want him to suffer as well. Not after his brother had shown Diego and him such kindness in the past. A year ago, Luther could have easily betrayed them and ratted them out. He hadn't done it. He had kept his word and helped them escape.  

As he looked at Luther now, however, the face of his brother told him more than enough that there was no point in this little charade. Their father knew and he could see the shock in Luther’s clear blue eyes. Shit.

»I realized that the three of you have conspired against me as soon as I realized that Number Two and you have run off in the middle of the night. I refrained, however, from punishing Number One until now. I blame his misguided loyalty from his siblings for this lapse in judgment. This does not mean that I will not bestow a punishment on him now.«

The brothers exchanged a nervous glance for the first time since they were in this situation and it didn't escape their father either. Nothing ever escaped Reginald Hargreeves.  

»In helping your brothers flee from this house, Number One, you helped them to unleash a scandal on our family. Not to mention the damage this whole situation has done to our shared mission.« He cast a meaningful glance at both his sons and Klaus, for once refrained from scoffing. Ben did so anyway from the corner. 

 _Their shared mission_. What mission? Saving the world? Helping people? Being superheroes? Klaus had never understood whatever mission they had anyway. Or rather, if this mission truly was what their father claimed it to be. His father might like to portray himself as some sort of Professor X to the rest of the world, a benevolent man who was only interested in doing good for the world but Klaus, more often than not, had always wondered how easy it would have been for his father to manipulate them to do bad instead. And, furthermore, would they have been able to tell the difference? 

»Your punishment for your actions will be to deliver the proper punishment for his selfishness and his immoral actions to your brother. I want you to bring Number Four to tell us where Number Two is hiding at. So that we may all be reunited as a family soon.«

Reginald’s words hit them both like a sledgehammer. He knew what impact his order had on both boys and if he feared that Luther, for once, might be unwilling to follow his orders and even act up perhaps, he didn't show it. His face remained the same unwavering mask of stern determination as always. »I trust you to not disappoint me any further, Number One.« 

The look Reginald gave Luther left no room for argument before he turned sharply on his heels and walked through the wide open door of Klaus’ cell. The metal door fell shut behind his retreating form sharply and made Klaus jolt in surprise. No matter how heavy the sound of the door falling shut might have been, the resulting silence that fell upon the room was heavier.

※※※※※※※

He didn't even know how much time had passed ever since the first punch. It might be hours or days. Everything was a blur. He was in a whole new world of pain as he curled in on himself on the hard ground. His brother was strong, there was no denying that, of course, but Klaus had never been at the receiving end of this. Never intentionally, at least. Sure, Luther had shoved him in the past or pushed him over, sometimes even give him a good smack over the head. His brother had never intentionally tried to hurt him, though. 

He was so tired, so bone-crushingly, soul-achingly tired. His entire body seemed frozen from the exhaustion and yet his father wouldn't allow him to sleep. His brother, his torturer, wouldn't allow him to sleep under their father’s orders. 

»Please.« Luther muttered after hours - _years_ \- of this. Klaus hadn't seen their father since he had left them alone in this room, trusting that Luther would beat his brother to a bloody pulp if necessary. He was probably taking care of the press. There were people to bribe, statements to fake, a scandal to clear.  »Please, Klaus … Just tell him what he wants to hear … I don't want to hurt you.« 

He sounded so desperate, his poor poor big brother. The thought made him laugh out loud. It was a pained, desperate, disbelieving little sound that was scratching at the back of his throat and almost sounded more like a sob then actual laughter. Poor Luther. Poor, good old Luther. He wished he could help him. He was only another prisoner in this whole mess right here, wasn’t he? He couldn't help what he was doing. It was not his choice to be their father's puppet. Poor, poor Luther.

»That's not funny.« 

Oh, had he actually laughed? Had he actually said all these things out loud? Oops. Not that Luther would look pissed, per se. He seemed exhausted. Not nearly as exhausted as Klaus felt, of course. His fists were raw and red and bruised though. Luther’s hands were stained with his blood and he looked so tired. So, so tired. 

»Oh, but it is!« Klaus huffed desperately as his eyes trailed over the walls restlessly. There were so many ghosts around. So many. Soon, their father would order Luther out of the room and he would switch off the light and throw him to the ghosts so that they could maul him to death. »It's so funny that the old man really thinks I would break so easily after everything he has done to me in the past.« Klaus rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling. The ghosts were restless around him, even Ben was. His poor dead brother was pacing the cell, acting as some sort of barrier between Klaus and the other ghosts. They wouldn't come closer as long as Benny was around. At least for now. »I would rather die than tell him where he finds Diego. I would rather you beat me to death to keep Diego from coming back here.« 

»You are protecting him, I get it.« To his surprise, Luther sat down on the ground by his side. He started fidgeting with his large hands as if he didn't know what to do with them now after he had spent hours and hours beating up his own brother while their father had probably watched on through the camera above the door. Klaus wondered if he was getting off on seeing one son beat up the other. 

It wasn't his fault, Klaus told himself despite the glares that Ben sent Luther’s way. It wasn’t Luther’s fault. 

»I would do the same thing if it was about Allison.« He all but whispered now and Klaus believed him. Luther was a big softie under his hard exterior sometimes and yet he flinched away from his brother as Luther reached out to touch his shoulder. 

Luther pulled his hand back immediately as if burned. There was this horrible guilty look on his face too. It had always been Klaus’ theory that Luther, in addition to his super strength, only possessed only more ability and that was looking like a beaten puppy all the time. He certainly looked like that now and Klaus almost felt guilty for putting that look on his brothers face. Well, then again, Luther had beaten him to a bloody pulp these past hours, right? Not the other way around. Still, he didn't want his brother to look like this. He never wanted any of his siblings to look like that. 

»But you know as well as I and as well as Dad that Diego won’t stop until he had found and saved you, Klaus. He would never leave you here.« 

He knew that. Diego might have promised him not to follow him to this place but he knew that Diego wouldn't stick to it as much as Klaus wouldn't stick to this promise. Despite what happened, Diego would come for him. That was just how it was and yet he refused to let Luther know this. Maybe it was dumb. 

»He won't come, Lu.« Klaus muttered before a violent cough wrecked his body. He tasted copper and, sure enough, as he spat out on the ground, there was a lot of red coming out of his mouth. Funny. He felt dizzy as he pulled his knees to his chest and the withdrawal only served to make everything just that much worse. He could hardly breathe. He was burning up. His body was a block of ice but his head a fireball. He couldn't even feel his hands and his feet were tingling so badly that he didn't know what to do with them.

Just like when they were children, Luther’s face seemed to melt at the sound of the old nickname his _baby brother_ had for him. When his jaw had been broken and wired shut, the only thing he had been able to say was Lu. Pride of being the one brother Klaus would ask for had quickly turned into annoyance because though the feeling of being needed might be nice for a small while, actually taking care of someone else was exhausting and annoying.

»We broke up.« Klaus continued quietly but his throat felt raw and scratchy and his voice didn't seem to belong to him anymore. Ben stopped his pacing. He looked concerned. Then again, Benny always looked concerned. 

Maybe he should have listened to him back in San Francisco. Maybe everything would have turned out differently then. He could have gone to Diego, tried to apologize again, tried to gain his trust again. And yet … Hadn't Diego looked so happy in that diner with that girl? Maybe they had never meant to stay together. Maybe their romance had been doomed from the start. Maybe they were less like Romeo and Juliet. Two ships passing in the night. Never quite meeting. Never quite real. He was Heathcliff and Diego was Catherine. Or was it the other way around? 

»That was no lie … He broke up with me and I can’t blame him … I fucked everything up, Lu. Like I always do … I destroyed everything. I was stupid and ruined the one good thing I had in life. He won’t come to get me. He’s done with me and that’s for the best.« 

This was not a conversation any of them was comfortable with. Luther and he had never been particularly close. They had never shared emotions, never shown weakness in front of the other. Although, in Luther’s eyes, Klaus had always been weak in a way. Too soft, too sensitive. The silence that spread between them felt awkward for a bit but then Luther allowed a small sigh to slip out.

»You know … Since you guys left, I tried to figure out what adventures you were going on. To be honest, I envied you.« Luther tried a small smile but failed horribly. He looked constipated if anything. »You guys were out there … free. You did what I would never dare to do. The last time I heard Dad talk about going to fetch you, I was so afraid he would actually succeed.« 

»I always knew you were a big softie.« Klaus huffed as he slowly sat up and leaned his head heavily on Luther’s shoulder. Even this small bit of movement took a whole lot out of him. More than he was willing to admit. Klaus had always been good at handling pain. He was not one to easily crack under it. He wished Luther wouldn't have followed his father's order and beat him up but he didn't blame him anyway. Luther wasn't ready yet. He would be. If Reggie wouldn't manage to kill him first, Luther would sooner or later see through him and run away. Maybe he would leave with Allison and maybe those two would be more successful than he and Diego had been. 

»It was fun.« He said quietly. »While it lasted. We stayed on the road for a long time, slept under the stars or on the beach. We … We hadn't much money but we made it. And, honestly, we didn't need a big house and fancy clothes. Being alone on the road was enough.«

»That sounds wonderful.« Luther shrugged and put his arm around Klaus. For once, his brother didn't seem to care about the camera that was trained on them. Reginald had told him to extract information from Klaus. He had not said how, though. He all but melted into his brother’s warmth. He was so god-damn cold and weak. Still, he managed a small humorless laugh. 

»It was and then I fucked it all up because I was stupid and greedy and reckless. And that's why Diego can't come back here to get me, Lu. You can't let that happen. I can't … I can't let him suffer in this house ever again just because of me.« 

Again, they fell into silence for a few precious seconds. Ben had sat down against the door, staring at them both. Ben had always been unreadable when he wanted to be and right now he seemed lost in thoughts. Being back here took its toll on him as well. He seemed less solid than usual. More like all the other ghosts. In fact, Klaus could see the door through Ben. 

»I never asked-« Luther began anew, quieter than he had ever heard him talk. »I wasn't a very good brother to either one of you guys. I never asked what Dad did to you … I know he did _something_. I was … I think I was too afraid to ask. I think not knowing seemed better.«

»Oh, Lu … Lu-Lu-Lu … You don't wanna know that.« 

»I do.« Luther urged calmly. »I do! I want to know the truth, Klaus. I want … I want to know everything. I have been blind and deaf for far too long and I can't-« His voice broke and Klaus lifted his head off of his shoulder at that. Poor Luther. He had never seen him this distraught. Maybe after Ben died but that was it. »I can't do this anymore. If Dad comes back and tells me to continue to punish you- I can't … I can't do this. I’m killing you and I can't lose another sibling.« 

»Now would you look at that?« He murmured and glanced at Ben who just cocked a wry little smile. »Who would wanna go all mushy like that? Just think if anyone would hear you talk like this, Lu! They would think you honest to god loved me.«

»I do.« Luther almost growled. »I do love you, Klaus. And I love Diego and Vanya and Allison and Five and … Ben.« Ben smiled sadly from his spot at the door and it took Klaus some effort to look at Luther again now instead. Ben had always been a sore topic between the two of them after it happened. Luther had been with Ben that day. He hadn't protected him - that was what Luther was telling himself, at least. Klaus knew better. Klaus knew what had happened.

»Tell him.« Ben urged quietly. »He means it. He wants to help. Tell him.« 

»Geez, okay.« He sighed more in response to Ben than Luther. His big brother didn't know this, though. »If you really want to know you should get me a drink, Darling.« He winked before he leaned against his brother again with a groan. Luther was warm and steady while Klaus was all floppy and freezing. 

»Dad decided it would be a great idea to lock me up in that old mausoleum on the graveyard down the road. He started doing this when I was about eight years old … told me it would help me get over my fear of the dead. It only made it worse. They were so aggressive there … So wild and aggressive and untamed and … ferocious. They tried grabbing me and sometimes … I don't know if it was my powers or if it was their power … sometimes they succeeded. Sometimes they grabbed me. Sometimes they pulled me all across the stone floor or slammed me into the walls. Sometimes they scratched and bit me. Sometimes they tried to possess me - desperate to be alive again. Desperate to feel anything. Dad left me there for hours at first, then, sometimes, for days. The older I got the longer I would stay and the more pissed he would get if I would still be unable to do as he asked. He never understood what it was like. No one ever understood what it’s like.«

»And what did he ask?«

»He wanted me to conjure those spirits, make them solid enough to see, solid enough to touch perhaps. He wanted me to let them speak through me and unleash my full potential - whatever that means. To him, I am nothing more than a human Ouija board.« He laughed as he lifted his hands playfully at his brother, showing him the tattoos he had gotten to nettle their father. »And I was … I was terrified even thinking about doing this. If I would allow them to enter my body - who was to say they would leave again? If I would allow them to become solid - who was to say they wouldn't rip me to shreds? My fear only grew from then on and I … I became so numb to the world around me. I had to be. And then I started with the drugs and Dad … Dad only got more pissed then. His punishments grew worse from then on. We all know he likes to use his cane or his belt but then … He beat me so badly sometimes that I couldn't leave my room for days and to you guys he would say I was sick and couldn't be disturbed.« 

He took another deep breath. He wanted to sleep. He felt like sleeping. Luther, however, let out a pained little sound, something between a groan and a sob perhaps. He didn't want to look at him. He could imagine how his brother looked like well enough. 

»And Diego … Diego doesn't really talk about this stuff. But I know anyway. He doesn’t have much of a poker face. Dad beat him too. Badly so. I know, I know. He beat all of us badly but Diego … I don't know. Maybe his training was more fucked up than mine was. He stuffed him into one of the water tanks on the roof until he wouldn't feel his hands anymore to test if there were limits to his ability of holding his breath. He would put him in danger - real danger - to force Diego to perfect his throwing. So often he barely survived this. And Dad … He wouldn't have cared if he had succeeded in killing Diego like this.« 

»I remember teasing him about it when he was not in a good enough shape to be any competition to me. I remember telling him how weak he was.« Luther mumbled quietly. He didn't seem to be talking to Klaus, though. As he looked up at Luther then, his eyes were trained on the door as if he was able to see Ben. Poor Benny, however, was flickering in and out of sight. That wasn’t good. He could see the black spots creeping up on him from the edges of his field of vision. »I remember being so … afraid that Diego would try to outmatch me. I didn't like the competition. Number One … That was me. That was always me and I was proud of that even though all this number means is that I was the first to get adopted. That’s it and yet it made me the leader. The truth is, I was never a good leader. I was never a good brother either. I should have seen these things. I should have known.« 

»You should stop beating yourself up.« Klaus muttered even though he was right. He should have been a better brother. He should have seen what their father was doing to them. Yet, Luther was just a child like them. And, like all of them, he just wanted to please. »I wanna sleep now.« Even to his own ears, his words were slurred and barely audible. Before Luther could say or do anything else, though, the darkness around him had already swallowed Klaus whole and lulled him into slumber, whether he liked it or not. 

 

**-End of Chapter 13-**


	14. Chapter 14

As he parked the car in front of the house on the other side of the street, he paused for what felt like hours. The house was looming over the street like a mythical beast, a dragon sitting on a pile of gold. Before coming back to this place, Diego had thought that he would freeze up or get sick when he would arrive. Now that he was here, however, he felt nothing at all. Wasn't that just so incredibly odd? He should feel _something_ , he thought. Anything at all. At the very least he should feel fear, right? But there was only an ocean of nothingness and numbness surrounding him.

He was a man on a mission. Not Diego Hargreeves. The Kraken. Number Two. He had never failed on a mission. For the first time in a long while, Diego wished he had his old stealth suit with him. Instead, he only had his trusted knives attached to the belts around his hips and chest. Not that he wished to hurt anyone inside this house but if it meant to get Klaus out safely … Well, there were always casualties in a war, right? And this, right here, was his own personal war against his past. 

Eudora had warned him to go alone. She seemed a nice enough person to actually care about what would happen to both Diego and Klaus and that was more than Diego could have hoped for.

Finally, Diego took a deep breath as he steeled himself against what was to come. He curled his fist around the crowbar that he had placed on the passenger’s seat - Klaus’ seat - and then exited his car. Darkness had already fallen over the city and tried to smother all life in the city under a thick and heavy blanket. Above him a clear starry sky, in front of him the house of horrors. Diego was smart enough not to go through the front door, of course. 

He walked a little further down the street instead, remaining casual, just in case there were people watching the house or maybe even his father and brother spying on the street. After the uproar that Klaus first media outing after a year had caused, Diego thought that it was highly likely that there were paparazzi lingering around for any kind of sign. Going through the front door would be the stupidest decision he could come up with at any case. He might as well ring the doorbell then. The world thought he was dead after Klaus’ little breakdown on national TV and he better kept it this way for now.  

Number Two rounded the next corner and advanced towards the house from the back. There was a door to the old coal cellar behind the house in a narrow alley between the mansion and another building. No one except the members of the Hargreeves’ household knew that the trapdoor even belonged to their house. 

His father had never taken great care of locking the trap door to the cellar thoroughly as the door inside the house leading out of the cellar and into the main basement, was locked securely from the other side. He had probably never anticipated that two of his sons would one day flee and that one of them would come back exactly through that room. As he reached the trap door he was relieved to see that it was still secured only with a simple padlock. Despite his broken arm, Diego made quick work of it with the crowbar he had taken from the car and the help of his left foot.

The sound of the lock breaking was muffled almost by the barking of a dog in one of the neighboring houses. Almost. Klaus, if he was still locked up somewhere in this house - which could be expected - was probably in the basement somewhere. His father would want to keep him far removed from any sunlight and any outside influences. The second level. That was where the rooms were every single one of them dreaded. Their own private torture chambers. Diego knew them well and now, as he climbed into the coal cellar and had only the issue of breaking another lock until he would be back inside his family home, finally felt dread settle into his stomach. Fuck.

He could almost hear himself, barely six years old, screaming at the top of his lungs as his father dragged him down the narrow stone corridor into the cell he had prepared for Diego. A nightmarish landscape of wild animals attacking him. At least, it had seemed like it. 

To this day, Diego had no idea how his father had done it. The animals were nothing more than taxidermy but … being locked inside this tiny dark cell with the flickering lights and the animal sounds coming from the speakers, they had seemed so real … so alive. He had never been in any real danger but … to his childhood brain that knowledge hadn't made any difference. The task had been easy: Overcome and adapt or perish. He had thrown knife after knife until his tiny hands had been ripped apart by tiny cuts. He had been terrified out of his mind, scared to death by dogs for the longest time and at the same time drilled to not show any kind of fear - punished if he did. Klaus was not the only one of them with scars.

He had never seen the other cells and he didn't think he wanted to.

There was no light coming from the alley behind him. Inside the coal cellar it was pitch black but Diego still advanced forward to the heavy steel door he knew was located right opposite of the trap door. He took the tiny flashlight from his utility belt that he always carried around, switched it on and shined the light onto the steel door. It was old and rusty. His father had never taken care of renewing it. Most of the bolts and screws were rusted and most likely corroded by years and years of inattention. They would break easily enough. Of course, from this side of the door, there was no way of destroying the deadbolt on the other side and that wasn’t necessary. 

He just took his smallest knife out of his holster, put the flashlight between his lips and went to work on the bolts that secured the door in its hinges. After a bit of wiggling the blade back and forth, he had managed to loosen the first bolt and shove it up and out of the hinge with ease. The second one was a little harder, especially because reaching it was not easy. He succeeded still. After almost five minutes, Diego was able to lift the door from its hinges easily without even touching the lock. Of course, the door gave a loud screeching sound as Diego opened it this way and had to drag it a bit over the unforgiving stone floor. The sound, like the scream of a nightmarish banshee, echoed through the basement and made his heart race.

Diego was not nearly naive enough to believe that he would somehow manage to get out of this without facing his father in any way - or Luther. Yet, the thought of having already blown his cover before reaching Klaus was making his skin crawl and sweat running out of his thick dark hair. He needed to be much more silent and careful from now on. 

There was no alarm going off right away and so Diego quickly snuck into the corridor, ignoring his racing heart that told him to turn back and run. It wasn't far to the stairs leading further down. He could hear Mom rummaging in the kitchen just up the wooden stairs that he could see a bit further down the corridor. Oh, how he craved seeing her. He wanted to hug her and just lean into her for comfort. Mom always made everything okay, in the end. Hell, he even wanted to see Allison and Vanya. 

On the way here he had stopped at a gas station and seen the interview on the crappy TV. It felt like a deja vu. One year ago they had stopped at a similar gas station and seen their father and siblings plead for their safe return. Now, one year later, he had witnessed how his brother had had a full-on mental breakdown on the news. 

_He’s dead! He’s dead!_

Klaus laughter still echoed through his mind. At first, he had been horrified by his sudden manic explosion. At first, he thought that Klaus was high as a kite. Now he understood. Klaus had only tried to take that target off of Diego in telling the whole world that he was dead. No one would search for a dead superhero when his own brother would claim that said superhero had been rotting to his feet. Even in this situation, Klaus tried to protect him. Even after Diego had kicked him out of their home.

He wasn't dumb. He knew that Klaus had directed those words at him. They had been meant as a warning. _Stay away. You are safe. I’m keeping you safe. Don't come for me._

Good thing they never listened to what the other one said, right? No way in hell he would leave the man he loved behind like this. No way in hell. Of course, if their places were swapped, he would have done the same thing and he would be pissed with Klaus if he would come anyway.

Yet, he was here and adamant to get Klaus. In spite of everything, they had gone through lately. They were two halves of one whole.

»Number Two!« The last time he had heard this voice was on the News but it was something very different hearing it in real life again. His whole entire body froze up against his will and he couldn't stop himself from responding to that dreaded and hated number. 

There he was, Sir Reginald Hargreeves just as Diego remembered him, standing at the end of the corridor. His monocle was glistening in the light from the overhead lights, his cane clutched tightly in his right hand, his three piece suit as meticulous as always. His trusted soldier, Luther, right by his side. His right-hand man. And yet, Luther was also his brother and he had helped him and Klaus before, hadn't he?

Right now, his brother wouldn't even look at him though. He felt a weight settle in his stomach. Until this very moment, he had not even considered that Luther might not be willing to help him and Klaus again. What if his brother went back to his old self again? A year had passed, after all. To his shame, Diego had to admit that he had not stopped to think about the punishments his brother might have gone through since if their father had found out about Luther’s involvement in their escape. 

»I knew you would come sooner or later.« His father droned on. »Although Number Four tried to convince me that this would not be the case. These silly little games of you and your brother are over now, Number Two. I am glad, however, that you found your way back home all on your own and didn't need further convincing. I welcome you back into the family but you certainly understand that you will be punished for your misdeeds and the scandal you and your brother caused this family.« 

»Fuck you.« Yes, of course, the response he had for his father might not be the most eloquent thing he could have chosen. Yet, it did not fail to convey perfectly how he felt towards his father and this entire situation. 

»Number Two!« His father roared and the child that was still buried deep within Diego cowered at the sound of it, terrified of being beaten yet again into submission. »Your behavior is unacceptable!«

»If you really believe I would come back home and be a part of the team again, you are truly delusional.«

»Number One, please escort your brother to his new room.« Reginald put a hand on Luther’s shoulder like he would always do when he wanted to convey to Luther that he trusted him or was proud of him in any way. His brother tended to fall for this shit in the past. To his genuine surprise, however, Reginald turned around to leave the two brothers at this. »I will see to it in a short while. First, I will have to take care of something else. Do not disappoint me, Number One.« 

Reginald started up the stairs from where he had come with Luther before as if there was no doubt in his mind that Luther would actually do as he was told. He was in no hurry either, probably curious for how his experiments would behave now. It was either that Luther was under Reginald’s thumb again like he used to be before all of this or his father couldn't fathom the idea that Luther would betray him again - or that Diego would even stand a chance against his brother. 

It was true that Diego was not nearly as strong as Luther and now, with his broken arm, he was at a significant disadvantage. In terms of pure physical prowess, Luther was way stronger than him but Diego was quicker on his feet and perhaps even more intelligent. Luther had always been clumsy. He was the proverbial bull in the china store. The few times Diego had won against his brother was because he had tired the big guy out but he knew that he was done for if Luther would manage to actually hit him. Everyone was done for if Luther managed to hit them. Still, Diego instinctively pulled out one of his knives and clutched it tightly as he went into that fighting stance that had been beaten into him ever since he had been little. 

»I’m not gonna hold back just because you are my brother, Luther.« Diego growled as he kept his eyes on the taller boy while their father was walking up the stairs behind Luther. What he really meant to say was _‘I’m not gonna hold back just because you helped us run away’_ but he was sure that Luther understood what he meant either way. 

»Don't worry, me neither.« Luther replied but his words were missing the usual bite they would share when they were going toe to toe with each other. »I will do exactly as Dad said and bring you to your new room downstairs. Whether you like it or not. Klaus is also down there. Maybe you can talk through the wall.« It was meant as a snide remark for their father’s ears and Diego did not need his brother to wink at him or say anything else for Diego to catch on. 

The only thing Luther did, invisible to their father’s retreating form and to whoever was watching them through the cameras, was to glance to his side to where the stairs were. Their father had made one crucial mistake while raising them as a team of superheroes - comrades and coworkers, soldiers, not siblings. They understood each other without words. They were able to exchange a strategy without even saying a single fucking word. 

And so, Diego charged at his brother, knowing fully well that Luther would be all too happy to overpower him like this. If his father would know them any better, he would have realized that Diego was never the one to initiate hand to hand combat with Luther. He would provoke his brother until Luther would attack. He was bound to fail when charging at his taller brother like this. Of course, Luther overpowered him easily and that was exactly what they both wanted at the moment.

»I see this past year you have been slacking off, Number Two.« His father boomed from the door o the kitchen. »We will have to remedy that.« 

Diego played along as Luther knocked him to the ground. He let out a groan, acted as if he was weaker than he actually was as his brother then hoisted him up to drag him further down the corridor to the staircase leading down into the lower level basement. Of course, both of them knew that there were numerous cameras trained on them down the corridor and the stairs. They had to keep up the charade for the cameras just in case their father would be watching the tapes later to keep Luther from harm.

»Klaus is down the hall.« Luther whispered quietly. »Last room on the left.« He wouldn't say _cell_. Never cell. He would get there at some point. Diego was sure of it. »He’s not doing too great … I’m sorry, Diego, I didn't have a choice.« 

He didn't need to say more. Their father had probably ordered him to beat up his own brother for torture or punishment or whatever the hell it was the old man tried to achieve like that. »It's okay.« Diego replied with his head bowed so that the cameras would not pick up that he was saying anything. »As long as you help us to get out of here.« 

He said it with as much confidence as he could possibly muster but the truth was that he was terrified to see Klaus. He was terrified of being confronted with his brother again. He had looked horrible on the news, beaten up and weak. He had seen the signs of withdrawal written all over Klaus’ beautiful face. For Diego, it was easy to recognize the tell-tale signs. Was he mad that Klaus had relapsed after their breakup? Yes. Was he surprised? Sadly, and to his great shame, no. No, he was not surprised. 

Right now, none of this was important, though. The only thing that mattered was getting Klaus out of his cell and out of this house. It did not matter now what Klaus had done before their break up or what he had done after. Diego was not stupid. He could make educated guesses. Now, however, was not the time to waste energy on these thoughts. They would start over. In two days they would turn eighteen. They would be free to go and do wherever and whatever they wanted. And this time around, they would do better. They would stay on the move, just the two of them against the rest of the world. 

»I have the keys.« Luther mumbled as he dragged Diego over to another door two doors down from the room Klaus was in. »You know what to do, right?«

»Right.« Diego mumbled as Luther took the keys from his pocket and started fumbling with it.

»I’m going to regret this.« 

»Come with us.«

»I can't.« Luther shrugged. »You know I can’t.« As he found the right key, he unlocked the door to Diego’s cell and dropped his grip on Diego just slightly, giving his brother enough room to wiggly free. The resulting struggle had to look real and they both knew this and yet it hurt Diego as he plunged one of his knives into his brother’s side. He knew how to hurt others without endangering their lives and the fact that Luther trusted him enough to let him do this, made his heart ache. He and Klaus would run away once more and they would leave Luther behind once more. He knew where to stab without risking his brother’s life. Yet, Luther’s resulting scream would haunt him forever as Diego pushed him inside his cell - Diego’s knife still stuck in his side - slammed the door shut and locked it.

He had no time to waste as he ran down the corridor and unlocked the door to Klaus’ room. He was not ready to face him and yet he had no time to waste here. He unlocked the door without thinking twice, tossing the keys aside without a care. The room was completely dark, so much in fact that it felt as if Diego was staring at a black wall. Of course, his father would plunge Klaus’ cell in complete darkness. 

»Klaus?«

»No, no, no, no, no…« The voice was so silent and soft that he wasn't even sure he had heard it at first. »No, no, no ... Please no. No more…«

»Klaus, it's me.« He tried again. He found the light switch just outside the room - out of reach for Klaus - and flicked on the loud neon lamps only to have his brother shrink away from the light in sheer panic, backing further into a corner. »Diego.« He uttered his own name a little helplessly at his brother’s reaction.

Klaus wouldn't even look at him. He was in a horrible state. Naked except for a pair of loose boxer shorts that hung off of his narrow hips dangerously. He had his legs drawn up against his chest, his hands pressed against his ears and his face burrowed in his own knees. He looked so small. So vulnerable and weak. It broke his heart to see him so small. 

Diego shot a nervous glance over his shoulder. He didn't have much time. He needed to grab Klaus and get out of here right now. Reggie could come back at any moment now and knowing his father he would not hesitate to taze him or knock him out in some other way. 

He remembered going hunting with his father once. Luther, Dad, Five and he. He remembered the rifle his father had used for it. He remembered how one time his father had loaded sleeping darts into that rifle to just stun a stag instead of killing it. He knew that, to his father, they were all just wild animals as well. He would not hesitate to shoot at Diego with a sleeping dart. 

Instead of wasting any more precious time, Diego quickly hurried over to Klaus and took a hold of at least one of his trembling hands to pry it from his ear. He was freezing cold. The entire room was freezing cold. 

 _Ghosts_ , he thought. Klaus’ bedroom had also always been freezing cold even in Summer. His brother was always freezing. And yet, a part of him wondered if their father had designed this room to be freezing. He wouldn’t put it past him. 

»Klaus! Klaus, come on we need to get out of here quickly!« Klaus didn't move at first but as Diego pressed his hand a bit harder, he finally looked up at him. 

»Diego?« He seemed unsure of what he was seeing right in front of him. Oh, he knew that look. He had seen it way too often in the past. His brother was cursed with the power of seeing things that no one else could see. His lips were trembling raw and broken. His left eye was swollen shut and his nose looked broken. A part of him hated Luther for hurting their brother like this but a bigger part of him was thankful because he knew that his brother could have done way more damage to Klaus if he had really wanted it. »Dee?« His voice was as thin as a spiderweb. 

»Yeah…« He breathed out and even to his own ears, his voice sounded tight and hoarse. He couldn't stop himself from cupping Klaus’ face in his good hand to brush his fingers over his cheek. »I’m here … And I’ll get you out of here.« 

»No … No, no … That's not a good idea.« He whispered but his fingers moved to dig into Diego’s shirt. »He’ll find us.«

Despite his words, Diego’s hand dropped from his cheek and grabbed his arm securely to pull him up to his feet. »No, Klaus. We need to go now. Luther is helping us, you hear me?  I had to stab our brother so that I can get you out and we don't have time to waste now. Stop whining and get your ass moving now.«  

Klaus was like a ragdoll in his grip. He allowed Diego to manhandle him without complaint, without batting a lash about it. He just went on with it, even though he was unsteady on his legs in the process and probably just wanted to curl up somewhere and try to drown out the entire world around him. His gaze darted around the room nervously and it wasn’t the first time that Diego wanted to see what he saw. Maybe he would regret thinking like this if he would actually see what he was seeing. 

»I’m so sorry, Dee.« Klaus muttered as they were slowly making their way out the door and into the corridor. The light outside seemed actually painful for Klaus as he tried to blink against the light. »I’m sorry … I didn't mean to hurt you … I didn't mean … I’m sorry. I love you. Please, Dee…« 

»I know.« He whispered quietly as he curled his arm around his shoulders and pulled him close. »I know. I shouldn't have kicked you out … I should have listened to you.« It wasn't like he was forgiving Klaus for betraying his trust and going behind his back. It wasn't this easy. Yet, he loved him and he couldn't help it. He wanted him in his life no matter what and they could overcome this whole mess. They just needed to make it out of this house and he just needed to get through withdrawal again. _They_ not just Klaus. This was a team effort. It had always been like this and he was not afraid to do it again.  

It was surprisingly easy to manage to get Klaus up the stairs after they had reached the staircase. Of course, Klaus needed to put most of his weight on Diego to actually get up there because his knees kept buckling under his weight and giving out from underneath him. 

»Come on, Babe.« He whispered just to fill the void. »Almost there. Just a bit now. We’re going through the coal cellar. Martha’s waiting for your stinky ass to come home and put your feet on her dashboard.«

»Henry doesn’t like it when I do this.« Klaus muttered and took Diego completely by surprise there. »He gets all bitchy and starts yelling from the backseat.«

»Who’s Henry?«

»Her previous owner.« Klaus muttered. »Died from a heart attack a while before we found her. He annoys the shit out of Benny.«  

He hummed his understanding. »You never talked about him before.« It seemed odd to make such conversation under these circumstances and yet it put Diego a little more at ease now. 

»I didn't want to freak you out.« Klaus whispered. »He liked to watch us fuck in the beginning. He yelled about it a lot too.« 

Diego had never spared a thought about the ghosts always surrounding Klaus and watching them. Maybe he should not burden himself with thoughts like these. Otherwise, he would never lay another hand on Klaus - or himself. He, at least, didn't need to see all these ghosts surrounding them. »Well, he can go back to yelling soon.« Diego muttered as they marched on with new found determination. They would get out of here, jump back into their car and make way into the countryside - or Mexico. It didn't matter where they would go anyway as long as they were together. 

There was an alarm siren going off. It was tearing through the entire mansion and was probably waking up the whole entire city. He had only ever heard a version of this alarm when they had been called for missions but never like that. Never so loud and aggressive, never so absolutely torturous. Klaus flinched at his side and fell to his knees as he let go of Diego just to press his hands to his ears. He had to watch in shock how his brother pressed his forehead into the ground, clawing at his own scalp as if the sound physically pained him. It probably did. He was going withdrawal after all. He was sick and weak.

»Number Two!« His father’s voice echoed through the hallway once again but this time the old man was much closer than the first time around and this time he had Allison at his side. His sister stared at her brothers with visible discomfort, her eyes darting back and forth between Klaus on the ground and Diego crouching next to him and trying to get him to stand again. »This behavior is unacceptable! You will stop this nonsense immediately or you will leave me no other choice but to ask your sister for assistance.«

Allison bit her bottom lip at this and he could feel a pit opening up in his stomach to swallow him whole. Allison, always Dad’s secret weapon. As long as they could hear her, Allison could make them do whatever their father wanted. He could tell her to make them forget how they felt for each other, could tell her to make them hate each other, could tell her to make them tear each other apart. The glint in his father’s eyes told Diego that he wasn’t too far off with those ideas and so, before he could waste another thought, he charged at his father. 

He was done cowering in fear of the old man. Done playing by his rules. It was stupid, of course. Allison could always protect Reginald with just one sentence and yet, as she jumped out of the way, he had the feeling that she wouldn't. Their father had trained them to be soldiers, fighters, killers even and now that he was at the receiving end of this training, he was taken over by fear. It was just a flash, a second or two in which Diego was privy to see that fear in his father’s eyes before he slammed his right fist steadily into his father’s jaw. 

As Reginald stumbled, Diego followed and allowed a storm of punches to rain down on the man before him, the man who had beaten him and Klaus and even Luther into submission for far too long. As he gave one punch after the other he remembered all those times his father had hit him with his cane or delivered kick after kick to his stomach when he was already down, painting his back in red lines with his leather belt. 

»Diego stop!« Allison screeched and the alarm was still going, filling his ears. »You’re killing him! Diego, please!« _Please don't kill him. Please don't put this on yourself. Please don't give him what he wants_. That's what she wanted to say. If Diego would kill the old man, he would ruin his life forever. But it didn't stop him.

»I heard a rumor-«

And yet before she could finish her sentence, there was a pair of trembling hands gripping his right biceps. Not hard enough to pull his fist back and yet mightier than Luther could have ever been. 

»Diego, please.« Klaus muttered quietly and almost inaudible over the sirens. »Please, we need to go now.« 

He was right. This siren. What if the police would come? They needed to go. As much as he wanted to beat his father to death, they needed to go now. He let go of his father and turned instead to Klaus. There was no time for great discussions. This time it was Klaus who was pulling him along.

»You are weak, Number Two! Pathetic!« His father yelled but Diego did not look back over his shoulder to bask at the satisfaction of seeing his face bloody and bruised. »You are ruining your life! Throwing away your potential! And for what? For a man willing to sell his body and dignity for drugs!«

»I heard a rumor that you shut up!« Allison screeched and, with one last look over his shoulder at his sister, who stood there shocked about her own use of her power, Diego started running as fast as he could with Klaus by his side. 

He had to push Klaus up the stairs out of the trapdoor of the coal cellar and into the biting cold of the night. In the end, he didn't even know anymore how they made it back to the car. Martha stood there waiting for them and just as Diego was about to make a run for the driver’s door, another car came rushing down the street, tires screeching on the asphalt as it came to a halt just next to them.

»What are you doing?« Eudora. She had her window rolled down and was leaning out of it. »What the fuck took you so long? Get out of here, already! The police are heading here and they know your car! Chop-chop!«

He was dumbfounded by Eudora’s sudden arrival but quickly regained his wits as he unlocked the car and scrambled inside after Klaus had hurried around to the other side as quickly as his beaten body allowed him to. 

»Go now, don't take the main roads, use the country roads and we’ll meet up again in Boston, you hear me? I will try to distract them long enough for you to get a head start.« And with that, Eudora drove off again and straight into the direction of the upcoming police cars.  

Before he could even begin to think about it or understand what had just happened or why Eudora was here now, he slammed on the gas and hightailed it out of the city. His thoughts were with Luther and Allison. A part of him wished he had seen Vanya too. A part of him had desired more time to talk with his siblings, catch up and make sure they were alright - or as alright as anyone could be under those circumstances. 

They would see each other again. He was sure of it.

He did as Eudora told him. He avoided the main roads, took narrow country roads and drove without light for some parts of it even. And next to him on the bench, Klaus sat curled up against the window. A year ago, they had left the city for the first time, drunk with their new found freedom, excited for the things that were to come. 

This time, Diego felt much more somber. He couldn't articulate why. He couldn't even begin to understand why he felt right now. His right hand rested securely on the steering wheel and his eyes remained on the road. However, as Klaus moved to rest his head on his shoulder, Diego did not flinch away from the touch, he did not crave to push him off. There was so much between them left unsaid now. So much they needed to talk about. And, just like last time, it wouldn't be easy and it was far from being perfect. Still, Diego did not wish for it to be any different if it meant it would not be Klaus sitting next to him right now. 

»I’m sorry, Dee.« Klaus whispered into the darkness of their car as they were driving down a bumpy country road. Behind them, their home, the caravan, was rattling on over uneven terrain. »I’m a mess.«

»I’ll take care of you.« The words came naturally and they meant more than that. Diego Hargreeves had never been good with words but Klaus seemed to be able to understand him just fine anyway. He knew that he was just as much of a mess as Klaus was. He might not be a drug addict but he was no less broken and strange than Klaus was and his demons just as loud as those clawing at his brother all the time. 

»It’s rotten work.« Klaus muttered and as Diego glanced down, he could barely make out the small smile creeping up on Klaus at this. He wished he had two arms at his disposal. He wished he would be able to pull Klaus closer into his side where he belonged. Two halves of one whole. It was cheesy and stupid, a bit melodramatic, and slightly unhealthy, yes, but it was what it was. 

»Not to me. Not if it’s you.« 

 

**-End of Chapter 14-**


	15. Epilog

Rain was gently drumming against the tilted window of the small caravan. The owners of said caravan had painted it black a few years ago from its original vomit-inducing beige - as one of the two men had once called it lovingly. Those lovingly spoken words seemed a lifetime ago now. They had chosen black to match better to the old caddie they had once stolen from the side of the road after they had given their car a new black coat as well roughly a year prior. Both the car and the caravan had driven through the entirety of the U.S., crossing the border to Mexico and to Canada at some point in the last ten years. They had loyally carried their owners around without all too many hiccups or greater inconveniences. And every time they had forced their owners to stop at the wayside to take care of their various little technical illnesses, it had always been worth their while as they had met numerous people on the way - some more willing to help them than others.  

Despite the rain, it promised to be a beautiful sunny day soon. It was still early in the day and most people in the trailers and caravans around were still in their beds or just starting out their day quietly to not disrupt their neighbors. It had been a late night for everyone yesterday. However, soon Hershel’s Circus would be abuzz with activity. People tended to underestimate the amount of hard work that came with maintaining a circus properly beyond just the shows in the evenings or the care of the various animals. Florida in March was the ideal place for a circus to stay at for the warmer months of the early year. By June, the circus would pack up and move further up north.

Harry Hershel didn't know it yet but by June, when they would travel north, his new star attractions wouldn't be with the circus anymore. They would be back home with their family. None of them, not even the two young men, knew this yet, though.

A soft breeze came through the tilted window and ruffled Klaus’ soft brown curls. He didn't stir though, just laid there with his head cushioned on Diego’s chest as if nothing could really bother him. the world might end today and Klaus would not even do as much as lift a brow. His beard was a little scratchy against Diego’s skin though - not that he would care much as he nuzzled his nose into Klaus’ curls as best as he could. It was a nice rainy morning and there was not a single reason why he should even be thinking about getting up already. 

They had found the circus about six years ago. They had stayed on the road for the better part of 5 years after they had turned eighteen, driven all through the country and up to Mexico. They had spent months at sunny beaches or holed up in cozy cabins in the mountains. This circus, Hershel’s, they had found only because Klaus had seen the poster somewhere on the road to Florida one night and demanded that they would visit and check it out. Instead of just visiting the circus and watching the show for a nice romantic night out, they had stayed with them. 

They had offered them a chance, a place to stay, a family of sorts, a home. It was not the same as in New Bern but it was good. Diego liked it here. They had started out as acrobats after Harry had realized that they seemed to have a talent for it but at one point the director had encouraged Klaus to work with his powers again. Since then, Klaus - the Seancé - was the star attraction of Hershel’s circus - alone one the ground and together with Diego up at the trapeze. 

»What do you think they will say?« Klaus hummed into the silence of their caravan. Diego was not even surprised that he was awake already. Klaus, believe it or not, was an early riser. It came with the lifestyle, Diego assumed. Outside, Diego could hear the circus coming back to life slowly but without question. While all the others already started another busy and hectic day, Diego didn't bother getting up and neither did Klaus. They just laid there in their makeshift bed under a sky of painted stars. 

Klaus had decided to paint the ceiling of their bed-niche last summer. He had sat on a small ladder and painted the ceiling above his head with Ben’s help. They had discovered that Klaus could very well materialize their dead brother and thus reinstated the even numbers club about a year after they had left the academy for the final time. Despite Ben’s help, however, Klaus had ended up with more paint in his hair than the ceiling itself. That was shortly before they had discovered Klaus’ power of levitation. He had bitched afterward that this would have made it much easier. 

»About what?« Diego murmured quietly and enjoyed the tickling sensation on his nose as he buried it in Klaus’ soft curls once more now that Klaus moved his head a little further up to have it rest on Diego’s shoulder. »I mean, a lot has changed. Well, I suppose Allie will have a thing or two to say about your hair … It’s a disaster.« 

They had decided that they would visit their sister in L.A. soon and invite Vanya to come too. Family meeting - although Luther was still gone. Maybe that was why Klaus had insisted on painting this starry sky above their head - to remind them both of the sacrifice Luther had made for them. Luther, poor old Luther, who had been sent to the moon by their father four years ago. He missed him. He missed all of them. It had been Klaus’ idea to meet with their sisters and although he first argued against it, Klaus was masterful at convincing him of all kinds of things. Now, he was actually looking forward to it. They had gotten back into contact with them after they heard that Allison became a star in Hollywood and from there it had been easy to get a hold of Vanya as well. 

»Excuse you.« He huffed and lazily hit his chest. »Besides you are the one looking like a caveman. You could use a shave. I meant about us.« 

»What about us? Nothing’s changed.«

»A lot changed. You have a beard now. I have a beard now. A lot changed.« Klaus chuckled. »We are both taller too. Oh, and we are famous acrobats.«

» _I_ am a famous acrobat.« Diego corrected gently - even though he was more famous for his knife throwing act. »You are a famous spooky boy.« 

»I like that title.« Klaus hummed. »And might I remind you that I am much more than a spooky boy? Or should I ask Ben to tell you.«

The first time that Klaus had managed to make their dead brother corporal had been a surprise to all three of them. And to the rest of their new circus family as well. They had been practicing their trapeze act together. Just Klaus and he. To this day, Diego could not forget the moment Klaus had slipped from his grasp. It was a moment that was still haunting his worst nightmares. If Ben hadn't been there … If Klaus had not been able to make him corporal by some miracle, Klaus might have died that day. 

»I told you and him before and I say it again: No dead brothers in our bedroom.« Klaus bit out a dry laugh.

»Cut the kid some slack.« He huffed. »Poor boy’s living vicariously through me.« 

»Yeah, he still is forbidden from entering our bedroom - at least when we’re naked.«

»Speak for yourself. I’m almost always naked in here.« 

Sometimes Diego felt a bit spooked knowing that their dead brother was with them most of the time even when he couldn’t always see him. It was somewhat comforting at times but sometimes it was strange and just plain weird. Not that he wouldn't love Ben dead or alive but knowing that he was watching was just weird. And he didn't like it that he could tell very much that Klaus and Ben were sometimes chatting about him when he was right there with them. It was just not very nice and, quite frankly, a bit rude. 

»You still wanna go?« Diego murmured after a while.

»What? Are you really that afraid of Allie?« Klaus grinned and looked up at him before he climbed over Diego just to rest his chin on Diego’s chest. Oh, that doe-eyed look. Klaus knew very much that Diego was weak when it came to that look. »I mean, yes, she will never forgive you for not inviting her. After all, she was always meant to be my bridesmaid. She will probably rip your head off.« 

»Hey! I never said that we shouldn’t invite her - or Vanya.« Diego laughed. »We just didn't get the chance to invite anyone.«

»You should just tell her then that your hot Mexican temper got the best of you when we visited Las Vegas. I mean, you pretty much kidnapped me into that chapel, anyway. So, it's clearly not my fault and thus her wrath will, most likely, hit you.« 

»I kidnapped you?« Diego echoed. »What happened to _‘Oh, Diego, love of my life, apple of my eye! Look at that Elvis chapel! I always wanted an Elvis wedding’?_ I would have waited and given you a proper wedding at the beach or something equally cheesy.« 

»No one would ever believe you.«

»Yes. Yes, they would.« Diego huffed as he carded his fingers through Klaus’ unruly curls. »Because they know you, after all.« 

»What's that supposed to mean? What could be classier than Elvis?«

»That means that I am way more classy than you. I wouldn't have gone for Elvis.«

»No?«

»No. I would have gone for that new Zombie wedding they offer nowadays.«

»Ah.« Klaus huffed. »I see. More classy than Elvis indeed.« 

It seemed a lifetime ago that they had started this journey together. In a way, it wasn't just a feeling. They had started their journey together, only a few days after their birth. They would end it together as well. At least that was the hope Diego harbored in his heart. So much had happened. So many fights fought between them, so many nights sleeping back to back in silent anger, so many mornings reconciling but the trust they had in each other had never been broken again. 

For Diego, that was worth more than anything else. What had once separated them and caused them heartache, was long forgotten now. It seemed so silly now whenever he thought back to that time in San Francisco. Both of them had been just silly kids, stupid and immature. Not that they were much maturer now. They were just older and had seen more of the world.

When the news reached them, they were both working outside in the warm sun. As expected, the sky had cleared and the dark clouds went away in the late hours of the morning. Klaus was currently helping with the cooking as Diego was helping to fix up the big tent. Last nights storm had fucked it up a bit - but thankfully not nearly enough to be worrisome or prohibit them from having a show tonight. 

The circus was like a small town or a village of its own. Their trailers and caravans stood a bit farther off from the tents and booths, framing the field the circus was set up on. All the time people were running around fixing things or practicing their acts. While Diego helped their strong-man Edgar, a huge Dane who reminded him quite a bit of his brother Luther, he could see how the contortionist Eva was currently trying to fold herself into a tiny box. Klaus had once tried it and dislocated his shoulder in the process. Diego had warned him but of course, Klaus never listened.

Over the chatter of the people around and the sound of construction or clanking pots and pans a small transistor radio was blaring from the kitchen tent. For the most part, Diego didn't even listen to the music from the radio. It was just background noise. He perked up though as the music was suddenly disrupted by that stupid little jingle that would always get played before the news. 

Even before the news anchor started speaking, Diego’s eyes searched those of his husband at the kitchen tent and noticed that Klaus too was staring over at him. Something in the air had changed. Not as if a storm would come - like a storm had passed. The air suddenly smelled clearer and fresher. A veil had lifted. The clouds had opened up to reveal the sun. At that moment, Diego knew what the news anchor would say and so did Klaus.  

※※※※※※※

The big house was daunting, even almost twelve years after he had last seen it. Klaus watched Diego pause for just a moment after they got out of the car and stood in the sunlight of the late morning. They had parked their car on the other side of the road. Diego leaned against the old caddie with crossed arms, waiting for Klaus to grab the duffel bag from the backseat. He could feel the nervousness radiate from his husband as he closed the door and joined him on the other side of the vehicle. Sometimes, when he looked back on their life so far, he couldn't believe his luck. How odd it was to meet one’s soulmate like this, after all. How odd that everything had worked out for them somehow.

They didn't speak at first and just wallowed in the silence. Klaus put his free hand on Diego’s right shoulder and rested his chin on it for a moment. Both of them just stared at the huge house in front of them while the city around them continued its busy activity. For them, however, the world seemed to stand still. None of them were in a hurry to cross the street and get over there. Not even Benny who was seated comfortably on the hood of the car, staring at the house with the same pained expression as both his brothers. 

It was just a house. 

»Eleven years.« Klaus murmured.

»Eleven years, three months and two days.« Ben corrected swiftly and Klaus breathed out a small huff. They had a rule in place for making Ben corporal. It was okay at the circus because everyone there knew about what Klaus could do but out here in public … Well, a blue shimmering ghost was just not a very good look, right? 

»Eleven years.« Diego repeated in a soft agreeing hum, unaware of Ben’s correction. As Klaus looked over at Ben, their dead brother rolled his eyes. 

The death of Sir Reginald Hargreeves had been all over the news these past days. A heart attack, apparently. He had died alone in this big house, surrounded only by a robot and a monkey. It was a lonely death, befitting of the monster their father had been and yet, Diego was not the only one of the trio who thought that Reginald didn't deserve such a peaceful death. Not that he would wish his father had suffered horribly - mainly out of selfish reasons. For now, his father had not shown himself to Klaus but if he would ever show up, he would much rather not have him bleed all over the floor. 

Although the old man was dead now, the thought of walking into that house was daunting and terrifying for both of them, even though Diego tried not to show it as much. Sometimes, Diego was such a fragile man. Klaus was the only person except for Mom who was ever allowed to see his sensitive side, his caring, kind, beautiful core and yet sometimes Diego shut even him out and tried to act tougher than he actually was. 

Even Ben seemed scared of entering this house. The last time they had been here, Klaus had been locked up in the basement for days, going through withdrawal and faced with his worst fears. If Diego had not shown up in time, he might have died all those years ago and Ben hadn't been able to do anything about it. His dead brother would never say anything about it but Klaus knew that the memory was still haunting Ben. 

Klaus took a small sigh as he dislodged himself from Diego’s side and took his left hand in both of his to press his lips softly against his calloused fingertips. At least Diego had shaved before they arrived. He still looked like a caveman, though. Well, _his_ caveman, as he noted to himself as his eyes caught a small glimpse of the silver ring on Diego’s finger. The sight still filled his stomach with aggressive butterflies and made him want to puke his guts out. And yes, maybe Klaus’ hair could use a trim as well. He was willing to consider that.

»Courage.« He smiled as Diego glanced down at him. Even though he would not say it right now, Klaus could see the fear behind those dark eyes that had stolen his heart so long ago. »We are no children anymore, Dee. We are grown-ass adults, with our own home. Nevermind that it has wheels and could use a good spring cleaning - by the way, it's your turn this year. Reggie is dead. He can't harm us anymore.«

Ben gave a mock little chuckle before he got up from the hood of the car and started crossing the street. Ben had always been the most courageous of the even numbers club. He had to be. It seemed only natural to possess a bit more courage and bravery when there are literal monsters living in your stomach. While alive, Benny had always been terrified by his power so everything else had seemed far less worrisome to him. 

As he took his hands away from Diego’s hand, Diego took a hold of his hands again just slightly before he leaned over to kiss him softly on the lips. No more hiding now. Their old man was dead and there was nothing wrong about their relationship. They could flounce into that house, flop on their favorite couch and just be themselves. He looked down on their linked hands as they parted again and his eyes, for just a second, fell upon the silver ring on Diego’s left ring finger once more, a perfect match to his own. Sometimes it still seemed so weird to him that they had actually gotten married. For them, it didn't change anything. 

»I have to warn you, though.«

»Warn me?« Diego grinned.

Klaus quickly took his hands away from him. With an impish little grin, Klaus threw his bag at Diego and as he was busy catching it, the Seancé had already taken the first hurried steps towards the mansion.

»I might or might not have brought our wedding photos!« Klaus then called over at him and, with another groan, Diego took off after him. 

 

**-End of Chapter 15-**


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